Swim Safely this Summer!

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This week’s MomSense comes from a Scottsdale Mom and Grandma, Darcy Kimmel with Family Matters, who after hearing of another child drowning here in Phoenix, she hid the key to their pool (she wouldn’t even tell us where the key might be). According to the policeman giving the news report, this is the 20th drowning incident in Phoenix this year. No one wakes up in the morning expecting to lose a child to drowning but, almost every time it happens, it could have been prevented by the adults responsible for the care of that child. Kids are so quick and unpredictable and as the media campaign says, “It only takes a second” and your child can be in danger.

Darcy said that she “put the fear of God into our granddaughters about going into the pool area by themselves and they have obeyed us so far, especially since up until now they haven’t figured out how to work the lock to the pool fence.”  Both her granddaughters, ages 6 and 7, are good swimmers. But she is not willing to stake their lives on their developing integrity and swimming skills.  She said, “As the responsible adult when it comes to our own pool, it is up to me to do everything I can to keep them safe around the water. Pool fences, locks, hidden keys, but most of all watching them every second they are outside by the pool area is my responsibility when they are at our house.”

Darcy sees her role as “Life Guard” of her pool.  That means, she is constantly monitoring the water and watching the children “every second they are outside.”  Sorry ladies, that means no texting pool-side:-(

I can’t imagine the horror of losing a child to drowning but there are too many families that don’t have to imagine – they are living it right now. I don’t want it to happen to your family. This summer please stay vigilant and be safe.

Here are some safety instructions from the men and women who too often have to pull a child out of a backyard pool:

  • 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
  • Do not allow children to play around the pool and store all toys outside the pool area
  • If you leave the pool area, take the children with you
  • Always have a “designated child watcher”
  • Learn to swim
  • Never swim alone, or 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

Have a fun summer!

It’s that time of year again, where the ONLY way to survive the heat is to get wet and stay that way until September!

2 COMMENTS

  1. Great advice! I was actually a Phx drowning baby victim when I was 18 months old- I drowned in my babysitters pool. I was underwater for 6 minutes, air vac to hospital, put on life support and after 4 days in a coma I miraculously came through (by the grace of God) all better. It def. impacted my family, and my own story as a baby has made me very careful with my own children. I can’t believe there has been 20 drownings this year! Amazing, and so sad!

    • What an amazing story! Thank you so much for sharing! I think it’s important to hear (and be reminded) that drownings happen to real people.

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