💦Water Safety🛟 Month News Conference Respect The Water💧
May 21, 2022
The Drowning Prevention Coalition of El Paso along with members El Paso Water, UMC Trauma, El Paso Fire Dept Water Rescue, Wet N Wild Waterworld, City of El Paso Parks & Rec, County of El Paso Parks, and YWCA held a Water Safety Media Day on May 19, 2022 at the Westside Natatorium to bring awareness about how to prevent fatal drownings.
KFOX 14, KVIA 7, KTSM 9 and Telemundo were present to cover the water safety event. Mascots Water Drop Willie, Freddy The Frog and Gus and Goldie were present to emphasize safety techniques and rules around all bodies of water.
Tips/Drowning Prevention
Drowning is the leading cause of deaths for children between the ages 1-5.
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Never leave children alone near water inside or outside the house. This includes pools, hot tubs, lakes, canals, ponding areas, 🛀bathtubs, 🪣buckets or even 🚽toilets. Use safety 🗝locks on toilets and keep bathroom doors 🚪closed. Empty cleaning 🪣buckets and kiddie pools immediately after use.
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Never leave a child alone in a 🛀bath for any reason. Get what you need before you start, and take the child with you if you leave.
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Children need constant supervision near water. Assign an adult WATER WATCHER 👀that is within arm reach of children in water. Adult should not be reading, talking or texting. 📞Phone 📱should only be used in emergencies.
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Make sure a child can’t slip out of the house (doggie doors) and get to pools, hot tubs or other bodies of water.
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Secure swimming pools with fences and self-closing latching gates.
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Do not play or swim near drains, suction outlets or missing drain covers. Hair, arms, body, suit can become entangled.
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Don’t leave toys in or near water where they may attract a child. Air filled/foam toys are not safety devices. A child can slip out or remove them.
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Don’t assume children will use good judgment around water. Teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
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Learn First Aid/ CPR and keep emergency phone numbers handy. 9-1-1
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Teach children how to swim.
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If a child is missing, check the pool or body of water firs. Seconds count in preventing death and disability.
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Wear a properly fitted (PFD) Life jacket when boating, fishing or for inexperienced swimmer in a pool or lake.
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Ponds, canals, irrigation ditches, ponding areas and reservoirs are not to be swam in due to being unsanitary and to dangerous currents.
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When road is flooded, turn around, don’t drown. Flash floods can kill. Storm Drains Can Be Deadly.
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When thunder roars, go indoors. Leave area immediately. Do not seek shelter under trees. A bus or car can provide shelter if no building is available. Stop all outdoor activities.
For more info go to www.dpcelpaso.org