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RALEIGH.- The Insurance Commissioner and President of Safe Kids NC, Mike Causey, urges parents and guardians of children to take water safety measures to prevent children from losing in the water.
The beaches will be full this Memorial Day weekend. Remember to pay attention to the warning flags on the beach that indicate the possibility of rip currents. The force of a rip current is strong enough to drag the strongest swimmer out to sea.
“Many families will be looking forward to activities on the beach or in the pool,” said Commissioner Causey. “I hope everyone will take safety precautions to avoid tragedies on the water this Memorial Day weekend and during the summer.”
According to Safe Kids NC, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14. It is the leading cause of unintentional death in children younger than 4 years old.
If you're caught by a rip current, stay calm, don't fight the current and escape the current by swimming in a direction parallel to the coast. If at any time you can't reach the shore, call attention and ask for help.
“Most people think that a person who drowns involves waving their arms or desperately asking for help, but that's not the case, Commissioner Causey said. “Drowning happens silently when a helpless person can't breathe.”
Safe Kids NC estimates that 10% of parents see their children drown because they don't know what's going on. Rescuers have just 20 seconds to save a person from drowning.
Commissioner Causey offers the following recommendations:
• Always keep an eye on children and never neglect them
• Keep children away from drains, pipes and other openings in the pool. • Always keep a charged phone nearby.
• Know how to perform CPR on children and adults.
• Understand the basics of lifesaving so you can help in an emergency. • Install a fence that is at least four feet high around the perimeter of a pool or spa.
• Use automatic closing and locking doors.
• Make sure that all pools and spas have drain covers that comply with regulations. Install an alarm on the door that goes from the house to the pool.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
