Maricopa Fire supports Drowning Impact Awareness Month

The sweltering August heat and the distractions of back to school add up to create the highest month for child drownings in Arizona.

Maricopa Fire Department is teaming up with agencies and businesses throughout Arizona to prevent these tragedies.

August has been designated as Drowning Impact Awareness Month by the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Central Arizona. For children under the age of four, drowning is the leading cause of death; it is the second leading cause for children under age 14 (motor vehicle accidents are first).

Each year, thousands of children die as a result of drowning, and an equal number of near-drowning victims suffer permanent, irreversible brain damage. These drownings not only occur in a backyard pools, but also in buckets, bathtubs, toilets, pet water bowls, canals and ponds.

Children need your help to prevent drowning. Maricopa Fire Department has provided the following useful tips:

· Know where your children are at all times
· Use an approved barrier to separate the pool from the house
· Never allow children to be alone near a pool or any water source
· Have life-saving devices near the pool, such as a pole/hook or flotation device
· Keep large objects such as tables, chairs, toys, and ladders away from pool fences
· Post the 9-1-1 number on the phone
· If you leave the pool area, take the children with you
· Always have a “designated water watcher”
· Learn to swim
· Learn CPR
· Never swim alone
· Never swim while under the influence of alcohol or medications
· Never swim when thunder or lightning is present
· Never dive into unfamiliar or shallow bodies of water

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