Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the summer season, and many families will soon be heading to the beach. Sadly, it’s also the time when many children drown: An estimated 1,000 children fatally drowned in a single year in the U.S., most of them between May and August. In addition, more than 7,000 children are taken to the Emergency Room each year because of a drowning scare.
Surprisingly, those drownings most often happen in lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans, canals, reservoirs, retention ponds and other open water. A ten-year-old, for example, is three times as likely to drown in open water than in a pool. And older teens are more than eight times more likely to die because of an open water drowning than a pool drowning.
The good news: Our resources can help families keep children and teens safe in and around the water this summer season and beyond. Safe Kids Greater Sacramento has developed 10 Tips for Open Water Safety, with the help of the California Department of Boating and Waterways and D.A.R.T Sacramento. Contact Coalition Coordinator Jennifer Rubin for a printable version of this resource.
