08/16/2025
On Monday, we talked about why drowning is so often missed, even when adults are right there.
We covered:
•Inattention blindness: our brains can’t process all the information our eyes see, so we miss quiet, subtle movements.
•Misconceptions about drowning: TV shows it as loud, splashy, and dramatic, but in reality, it’s silent and fast.
•Unexpected presence in the water: kids often drown when they’re not supposed to be swimming, so you don’t think to look.
•Visibility issues: murky or busy water hides what’s happening beneath the surface.
Those are the reasons so many drownings go unnoticed. Today, let’s focus on what we can do to prevent them.
1️⃣ Create Layers of Protection
We can’t rely on one precaution alone. Combine:
•Four-sided isolation fencing with self-closing, self-latching gates, reduces drowning risk by up to 83%.
•Alarms on doors, windows, and pool gates so you know the moment a child accesses water.
•Secure pool covers (never the floating kind that can trap a child underneath).
2️⃣ Keep Non-Swimmers Within Arm’s Reach
•Use a 1:1 ratio — one adult per child
•Stay close enough that if you reached your hand out, you could touch them instantly.
•“Within arm’s reach” means you can physically intervene in seconds if needed.
3️⃣ Teach Survival Skills Early
Kids as young as 6 months can learn to roll onto their backs and float until rescued. Toddlers and older children can master swimming to safety and floating for air. swim lessons can reduce drowning risk by 88% for kids 1–4 (NIH study).
4️⃣ Assign a Water Watcher
From the first post, we know our brains can miss things when there’s no clear assignment. The solution:
•One adult watches the water with no distractions.including cellphones
•Switch watchers every 10–15 minutes to stay alert.
5️⃣ Learn the Real Signs of Drowning
It doesn’t look like what you expect:
•Quiet, no splashing, no calling for help.
•Head low in water, mouth at water level.
•Glassy eyes, bobbing, or floating without movement.
•Can happen in 20–60 seconds.
6️⃣ Never Assume Someone Else is Watching
Say it out loud: “I’m watching the water now.” Count heads every couple of minutes.
7️⃣ Learn CPR — Your Final Layer of Protection
Even with every safety measure, emergencies can still happen. Knowing CPR gives you the power to act immediately and keep oxygen flowing to your child’s brain until EMS arrives.
•For children and infants, CPR is different than for adults — take a certified class so you know the correct technique.
•Immediate CPR can double or triple a drowning victim’s chance of survival. (Always give rescue breaths to drowning victims)
Drowning is quick, silent, and can happen right in front of us without us realizing it but with these steps, we can stop it before it happens. And if the unthinkable occurs, CPR may be the last tool we have to save a life.
