Riverside County: Prioritize water safety this summer

With summer underway, the Riverside County Water Safety Coalition urges residents to prioritize water safety to prevent tragedies in and around water. Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death among children under 4 years of age, and seniors over 65 years old have the second-highest rate of drowning fatalities. This makes it critical for everyone to adopt essential safety measures.

“We encourage all residents to take proactive steps to ensure water safety,” said Board Chair Chuck Washington, Third District Supervisor. “By taking advantage of available county resources, families can enjoy a fun and safe summer by lowering the risk of water-related incidents.”

The coalition emphasizes several key tips and resources for families to ensure a safe and enjoyable summer around water:

• Learning to swim is a life-saving skill. Enroll children and adults in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors. Since 2015, more than 5,100 children have learned to swim with lessons from a First 5 partner organization. For more information on free or low-cost swimming lessons near you, visit rccfc.org.
• Install proper barriers such as fences, gates and alarms to prevent unsupervised access to pools and other bodies of water.
• Learn CPR and basic water rescue techniques. Quick response in emergencies can save lives. Watch educational videos to help young children to learn to survive if they fall into water unexpectedly. Cal Fire Riverside on YouTube has a video.
• Children should never be left unattended, even for a moment. Learn more about how to be water safe, including having a designated water watcher to actively watch children and adults when they are in or near water by visiting the Riverside University Health System Public Health’s water safety website at ruhealth.org.

“Water safety is paramount, especially during the summer months when families spend more time near pools, rivers and lakes. Simple precautions like active supervision and learning CPR can prevent tragedies,” said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung.

For tips and information: ruhealth.org/rivcowatersafety.