VDH sees increase in children accidentally drowning in pools

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT)—The Virginia Department of Health is urging families to prioritize safety in the pool as the agency reports an increase in children drowning in pools this summer.

The agency told 12 On Your Side nine children under the age of 5 have accidentally drowned in pools this year, an increase from the last five years.

Briana Bill, an environmental health coordinator at VDH, said it’s still too early to tell why these numbers look different from previous years.

“We can speculate that perhaps it’s been an extra hot year and when it’s hot out, people like to recreate in the water,” she said. “Perhaps with an increase in water recreation, there’s also an increase of risk, but we really can’t speak to the specifics of why we’re seeing these numbers increase.”

Bill said there are simple steps you can take to prevent this tragedy from happening. First, Bill said, keep an eye on children in the pool at all times.

“If you don’t have eyes on children at all times, those kids need to come out of the water,” said Bill. “If you’re supervising small children, you want to think about touch supervision, and so that literally means you’re within an arm’s reach of that child in the water, so if something was to happen, you can immediately respond and correct whatever is happening.”

Also, Bill said you should keep your pool drains covered.

“Drains can present a drowning hazard from suction, so it could be your hair, it could be your bathing suit, it could be your body,” she said.

When you’re done using your pool, put up a barrier around it so no one can get in.

“We say effective, which means that they’re of the right height, that they have gates, and those latches on the gates are actually working,” said Bill.

VDH also urges you to enroll your children in swim lessons, a message Scott Bennett with SwimRVA echoes.

The nonprofit works to teach children as young as six months old how to get acclimated to the water.

“The idea is start as early as possible getting children comfortable in the water, comfortable putting their face in the water, holding their breath underwater.”

A skillset, Bill said, can save lives.

“A life-altering event can happen to a family in just under a minute, and we don’t want that to happen to anyone,” said Bill.

All year, SwimRVA offers opportunities for swim lessons. The nonprofit also has a program, called Learn to Swim, which teaches children in second grade how to swim during the school year.

The Virginia Department of Health also has online resources about swimming safety, which you can see by clicking here.

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