A is for Adult: Adults need to have constant eye-to-eye contact with children around all forms of water (pools, bathtubs, buckets, toilets, canals, etc…) More than two thirds of children who drown in Arizona were not even expected to be near the pool. A toddler can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. Always, make sure you designated an adult to watch children when they swim in the pool.
B is for Barrier: Supervision is critical but can sometimes fail. To prevent a drowning, multiple barriers should be placed between kids and water. Barriers can include pool fences, alarms, door and window locks that are out of children’s reach, and self-closing, self-latching hardware on doors. Barriers around other forms of water include lids on buckets, locks on bathroom doors and toilet locks.
C is for Classes: For adults, this means CPR classes taken regularly to keep your skills fresh; for children at the appropriate age, this means swimming and water safety classes. Every family should learn what to do in an emergency.
Be safe this summer and practice the ABC’s of water safety!
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