May is National Water Safety Month, a time to remind families that drownings are preventable, although they remain a leading cause of death among young children and people under 30 years of age.
As summer approaches, the American Red Cross urges constant monitoring and simple safety measures to save lives.
Drowning rarely happens as seen in the movies. Most people expect to hear splashing water or screams, but drowning is usually silent and can occur in less than 1 minute, even in just a few centimeters of water.
Those who are close are usually the first line of defense. Research shows that, in most cases, drowning victims are rescued by those nearby, rather than trained professionals, simply because they are closer to the incident. More than 60% of rescues by those nearby occur before help arrives.
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in children, but it doesn’t have to be that way. “Drowning prevention starts with water safety education,” said Connie Harvey, director of the Centennial Aquatics Campaign and Survival Programs.
«Studies reveal that 72% of Hispanic people have never taken swimming lessons, and that children are less likely to possess advanced swimming skills; However, it is never too late to learn to swim or to know how to behave responsibly in, on and around the water.”
“The American Red Cross offers free resources in Spanish for children and adults, so people of all ages can help prevent drownings.”
The American Red Cross urges families to remain vigilant around water. Don’t just swim: observe. Close and constant supervision can make the difference between life and death.
Water safety tips
– No one should swim alone, neither adults, nor teenagers, nor children. Never leave a small child unsupervised near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child.
– Always appoint a “water watcher” to maintain close supervision and pay constant attention to children and weaker swimmers in and around the water until relieved.
– Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear well-fitting, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets when near water, but don’t rely solely on life jackets.
– Reach or cast, but don’t go. In an emergency, reach out or throw an object at the person in trouble and tell them to hold on. Don’t come close! You could also be at risk of drowning.
WHALE Tales available in Spanish
The Red Cross recently revamped its water safety program for children, called Longfellow’s WHALE Tales, and has now incorporated the program in Spanish, fully translated and culturally adapted.
The program, at no cost, helps children of all backgrounds, kindergarten through fifth grade, learn essential water safety behaviors without having to be in or near the water.
Educators, swim instructors, parents, caregivers and others can teach essential water safety lessons to children before swimming season begins and throughout the summer.
WHALE Tales are short, engaging, age-appropriate lessons that cover important water safety topics in different environments such as pools, water parks, oceans, lakes and rivers.
Resources are free to download and include lesson plans, course presentations, and engaging materials such as videos and activity sheets, and are available at CruzRojaAmericana.org/WHALE-tales-espanol.
If you are a parent or caregiver teaching your own children, visit AmericanRedCross.org/child-water-safety for information about the swim program and a variety of resources.
The Red Cross Swim app can help children and adults learn through kid-friendly videos and activities on mobile devices. Do your part. Be smart in the water.
