Water provides enjoyment, recreation, and is a necessity for life. Paradoxically, water is also a leading cause of death. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-14, claiming more than 900 lives annually and disabling thousands more. While those numbers are heartbreaking, the real tragedy is that those drownings could have been prevented with the help of a few basic steps.

Consider these facts:

• Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5. (American Institute for Preventative Medicine)
• A child under the age of 5 is 14 times more likely to drown than to die in a car accident.
• A child can drown in just a few inches of water, silently, and in a matter of seconds.
• Of preschoolers who drown, the vast majority (70 percent) are in the care of at least one parent. Of pool drownings among preschoolers, 98 percent occur in the child’s pool or the pool of a friend, neighbor or relative. (National Center for Injury Prevention & Control)
• For every child who drowns, another four are hospitalized, and 16 receive emergency department care for near-drowning. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Children are 100 times more likely to die from a swimming pool than from a gun. (Dr. Steven D. Levitt, University of Chicago)

The Swim for Life Foundation has created a program called “The Safer 3” to educate parents and caregivers about how they can keep children safer in the water. There is no single cure to prevent drowning; rather prevention comes from a multi-layered approach to first understand and recognize the risks associated with being in, on or around the water and then implementing those strategies which can help reduce and manage those risks. That is the main premise of the Safer 3 message; there is always risk. It cannot be eliminated but it can be reduced by following the Safer 3. The elements of the Safer 3 message are: Safer Water (providing barriers around water to prevent unauthorized entry in a backyard pool or spa, knowing where and what risks are present in open bodies of water & swimming where there is a lifeguard present), Safer Kids (maintaining active adult supervision, teaching children to swim and knowing and following water safety rules) and Safer Response (being prepared for an emergency, learn CPR and rescue methods). The good news is that, if implemented correctly, the Safer 3 can eventually dramatically reduce accidental drowning.

The Safer 3
A recent survey by the National Safe Kids Campaign shows that 88% of children who drown were under the care of a parent or other caregiver. Responsible, attentive parents can and do have children who are the victims of drowning. No single product or action can guarantee that a child will not drown. A gate can be left open, a good swimmer can tire, CPR might be administered too late. However, when all of the single steps are layered together, the chances of a child drowning are virtually eliminated.

Safer Water
Safer Kids
Safer Response