Fire Marshal's Safety Corner

The Hard Facts About Drowning

• Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old.
• And it’s the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children 19 and under.
• Children less than a year old are more likely to drown at home in the bathtub or a bucket.

Top Tips

1. Watch kids when they are in or around water, without being distracted. Young children can drown in as little as one inch of water, so it’s important to keep them within an arm’s reach of an adult.
2. Empty tubs, buckets, containers and kids’ pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children’s reach.
3. Close lids and doors. Keep toilet lids and doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed when not in use.
4. Install fences around home pools. A pool fence should surround all sides of the pool and be at least four feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates.
5. CPR and basic water rescue skills. It is important to know how to respond in an emergency without putting yourself at risk.