How can parents reduce or prevent their children’s risk of drowning?
A. Never leave a child unattended or unsupervised near a pool, Emery stresses. In the time it takes a parent to run inside the house to answer a phone, a child could be in trouble. There is no grace period. We may assume that thrashing, panicked noises will alert us to someone in danger of drowning. We assume, like in the movies, that there will be warning sounds — splashing and screaming—and plenty of time to come to their rescue. Experts with the CPSC caution that children often drown “quickly and silently” without warning. If you own a pool, Emery recommends following these pool safety tips from the American Red Cross to reduce the risk of accidental drowning: • Never leave a child unattended near water. Adult supervision is always required during pool usage. When infants or toddlers are playing near a pool, an adult should be no more than an arm’s length away, providing “reach supervision.” • Avoid distractions when supervising children around water. • Many families with backyard
