Local Drowning Prevention Press Release

Press Release Placement Tip

Customize this press release with your department’s information and send it to local media outlets. Be sure to include contact information for your department’s PIO.

Contact Information: (Your PIO’s Name and Phone)

The (Your Town/City) Fire Department Advises (Your Town/City) Families to Take Critical Safety Precautions around Water

Drowning is a Sudden and Silent Danger

According to the Home Safety Council, drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury related death in the home. While many (Your Town/City) families work to reduce home hazards, water safety is an area that is often overlooked.

“Drowning is a sudden and silent danger,” says Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. “Anything from buckets and bathtubs to outdoor pools and ponds can be the site of a tragic drowning if children are left unsupervised for any amount of time.”

The summer season marks the start of outdoor water-related activities and family gatherings around the pool. The (Your Town/City) Fire Department and the Home Safety Council are urging families to take these basic safety precautions as they kick off the season:

Swimming Safety and Pool Security

• Ensure constant adult supervision at all times when children are around any body of water. Adults must be within an arm’s reach of young children when they are near water.
• Older children should never be left in charge of younger children in the water area.
• Formally assign adults to keep an eye on the pool at all times. When you have large parties, formally assign adults to pool supervision shifts to ensure the children are watched constantly.
• Install four-sided fencing that isolates the pool from the home. Four-sided pool fencing is proven to be an effective drowning prevention intervention. Pool fencing should be at least five feet high and have self-locking and self-closing gates.
• Position gate latches out of the reach of young children and never prop the gate open or disable the latch.
• Clear debris, clutter and pool toys from the pool deck and adjoining pathways to prevent falls.
• Keep a cordless, water-resistant telephone in the pool area and post emergency numbers near the pool area.
• Enroll non-swimmers in swimming lessons taught by a qualified instructor.
• Never swim alone. Even adults should always swim with a buddy.
• Learn and practice lifesaving techniques, including First Aid and CPR. Require that anyone who cares for your children learn CPR.
• Keep poolside rescue equipment close to the pool area.

Free information and resources are available to help you learn more and stay safe in and around your home at www.homesafetycouncil.org.