DROWNING
FACTS

"DROWNING IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF
INJURY RELATED DEATHS FOR CHILDREN AGES 1 to 14 YEARS."

"88% OF CHILDREN DROWNINGS OCCUR UNDER SUPERVISION."

"FOR CHILDREN 5 TO 9 YEARS OF AGE AND CHILDREN 10 TO 14 YEARS OF AGE,
THE PUBLIC/COMMUNITY/BUSINESS LOCATION ACCOUNTED
FOR THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF REPORTED DROWNINGS "

AN AVERAGE OF 33 PEOPLE DROWN PER DAY OF WHICH 11 ARE FATAL.

"WHILE LIFEGUARDS PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT LAYER OF PROTECTION
AT SWIMMING POOLS , THEY ALONE CANNOT PREVENT ALL DROWNINGS.
ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES ARE NEEDED."

"AN ALARMING NUMBER OF DROWNINGS OCCUR IN LIFEGUARDED
SWIMMING AREAS, WHERE ONE MIGHT PRESUME SWIMMERS
ARE PROTECTED FROM INJURY. ONE REASON DROWNINGS OCCUR IN
LIFEGUARDED SWIMMING AREAS IS BECAUSE
LIFEGUARD SURVEILLANCE IS A HIGHLY DIFFICUL TASK."

“DECEDENTS WERE INITIALLY IDENTIFIED IN THE POOL
TWICE AS OFTEN AS NON-LIFEGUARDS
(EG OTHER SWIMMERS OR BYSTANDERS) AS BY LIFEGUARDS."

“FOR NATURAL WATER SETTINGS,
6 OUT OF 10 FATAL DROWNINGS HAPPENED
IN THE PRESENCE OF A SUPERVISING ADULT. "

"... DEATH RATES AMONG CHILDREN IN SWIMMING POOLS
HAVE BARELY BUDGED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS."

"IN AS LITTLE AS 20 SECONDS A CHILD CAN DROWN UNNOTICED.
FOR AN ADULT IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT ONE MINUTE."

"DROWNING IS A SILENT KILLER, WITH THE VICTIM
OFTEN UNABLE TO CRY OUT FOR HELP, WAVE THEIR ARMS,
OR EVEN ALERT THE PERSON NEXT TO THEM..."

"BECAUSE DROWNING CAN OCCUR QUICKLY AND QUIETYLY,
IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT LIFEGUARDS, DISTRACTED FROM KEEPING
AN EYE ON THE WATER BY OTHER ASSIGNED DUTIES,
HAVE FAILED TO SPOT DROWNING PERSONS IN TIME TO RESCUE THEM.
INDEED, UNOBSERVED DROWNINGS HAVE OCCURRED EVEN
WHILE LIFEGUARDS WERE STATIONED 20 FEET FROM THE WATER."

"FOR CHILDREN 5-14 YEARS OLD THAT DROWN IN POOLS,
57% OF FATALITIESOCCUR IN PUBLIC/COMMERCIAL POOLS ."

"ANOTHER 5 TO 10 PEOPLE RECEIVE HOSPITAL-RELATED CARE
FOR NON-FATAL DROWNING INJURIES
FOR EVERY FATAL DROWNING VICTIM."

"DESPITE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LIFEGUARDS,
PEOPLE STILL DROWN IN LIFEGUARDED FACILTIES."

"ANY GIVEN SWIMMING POOL IS NEARLY
100 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO KILL
A CHILD THAN ANY GIVEN GUN."