Cactus Village Community

HELP THE CHILDREN TO BE SAFE AROUND WATER

Jul 17, 2003

Too often, that?’s what parents, grandparents and caregivers tell the Fire Department when a child has drowned.

Unfortunately, jus a few seconds is all that is takes for a child to drown. Drowning is the leading cause of death in Arizona, for children under the age of five.

This year, Phoenix is experiencing a dramatic rise in the number of bathtub drownings. Please remember, any body of water ?— bathtubs, pools, buckets, toilets, pet water bowls, canals, ponds, landscape water features ?— is enough for a child to drown. Here are some tips to stay safe around water this summer:
?• Know where your children are at all times.
?• When they?’re in the water, always maintain eye contact.
?• Never leave a child unattended in the bathtub for any reason.
?• Never leave any bucket of water or other liquid unattended when small children are around.
?• When doing household chores, immediately empty buckets when finished, or move them to a safe place before taking a break.
?• Use an approved barrier to separate the pool from the house.
?• Never allow children to be alone near a pooi or any water source.
?• Keep large objects such as tables, chairs, toys and ladders away from pool fences.
?• Do not allow children to play around the pool and store all toys outside the pool area.

For more information about water safety, visit www.phoenix.gov/fire or call us at 602-534-0953. . . ☺