Layers of Protection – Drowning is PREVENTABLE

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Drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1-4 in Florida.Florida’s drowning death rate among children ages 1-4 is the highest in the nation. Enough children drown each year in Florida to fill three to four preschool classrooms. By no means has Collier County been spared this preventable tragedy. According to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, drowning is the leading cause of death of children ages one to four in Collier County. 

Our Coalition recognizes that multiple layers of protection are necessary to prevent drowning. We stresses that NO single device or solution can prevent child drownings. Parents, caregivers, aquatic facility owners, managers and operators should use “layers of protection” to provide a system of increased security to prevent unauthorized access to bodies of water, especially important for children. This means that multiple strategies or devices are used constantly and simultaneously.

Drowning happens to the BEST PARENTS and the BEST PEOPLE. It is silent and preventable.

We have included videos at the bottom of this page.

We must follow the layers of protection to prevent the leading cause of death of children ages 1-4. We never know which layer of protection will save a life until      it does, so please - layer up! 

Here are the layers  of protection recommended by experts: 

• Use  Barriers  –
  Fences, self-closing/self-latching gates and secured doors with alarms  can prevent young children from wandering into the pool/canal/lake.

• Supervise –
  There Is No  Substitute for Active Supervision! Actively supervise children in and  around open bodies of water, giving them your undivided attention. When  there are several adults present and children are swimming, use the Water Watcher card strategy, which designates an adult as the Water Watcher for  a certain amount of time (such as 15.-minute periods) to      prevent lapses in supervision. IF YOUR CHILD IS MISSING,  CHECK NEARBY POOLS and OTHER WATER AREAS FIRST.

• Learn  to Swim –     
  To stay safer in the water, all family members should learn to swim well. Teach  children NEVER SWIM ALONE and that they MUST have an adult with them near  a pool/canal/lake. Young children and inexperienced swimmers need to wear  a Coast Guard-approved life jacket (not water wings). Here is a link to Collier County swimming providers.  

• Know  How to Respond –
  Get training in basic water rescue skills, first aid, and CPR.  Have rescue equipment and a phone by the pool

• When your child is bathing or playing in or near water, KEEP YOUR EYES ON HIM OR HER AT ALL TIMES. NO TEXTING or TALKING ON THE PHONE. It only takes seconds for a child to drown.
• NEVER SWIM ALONE. Teach your child that he must never play in water unless a grown up is watching.
• Take your child to swimming lessons. If you don’t know how to swim, learn how. Here is link to Collier County Swimming Programs. 
• IF YOUR CHILD IS MISSING, CHECK NEARBY POOLS AND OTHER WATER AREAS FIRST. Remember it only takes seconds for a child to drown.