December is the biggest gift-giving month of the year. Parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents are buying massive amounts of toys and gifts to ensure kids have a wonderful holiday season.
Unfortunately, December is also the month in which thousands of children are injured every year as a result of playing with unsafe or non age appropriate toys. In the United States, emergency rooms treated 251,800 toy-related injuries, according to the report issued last year from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 44 percent of the injuries were to the head and face area, the area of the body with the most injuries. An estimated 84,400 of all toy-related injuries, or 34 percent, happened to children younger than 5 years of age.
Prevent Blindness America declared December Safe Toys & Gifts Month in order to reduce the number of accidents and injuries suffered by children due to unsafe or inappropriate toys during the holidays. Take the time this month to re-cap on some basic safety advice and brush up on buying safe tips, appropriate toys and what to do should you discover a potential hazard.
It’s important to think about the safety of any gift you’re giving, especially if it’s a gift for a child. We’ve put together a list of toys and gifts that are not only safe in themselves but also promote water safety awareness which is the first step towards drowning prevention.
“Josh the Baby Otter” was created to help children comprehend and remember this important message: TO STAY AWAY FROM WATER UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT. It’s goal is to create a water safety behavior for all children that will be passed on from generation to generation.
Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim is an important and fun child’s first guide to water safety. Written for children ages two through six, the book conveys the message of how to be safe near the water through the story of Stewie, a duck who wants to swim with the “big ducks” but is prevented from going in the water by his older sisters until he learns the water safety rules.
The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim follows the journey of a young polar bear named Zeke who is afraid of the water and refuses to swim. He leaves his home in search of other animals who do not swim, and ends up finding that he can enjoy the water if he follows the ABC and Ds of water safety, while learning a valuable lesson about facing his fears with a positive attitude.
Swimming Accessories
USCG approved lifevests
Getting kids to wear life jackets can be a cumbersome task — bulky neon padded vests don’t exactly shout cool. But the risks of not wearing them are too great to ignore. The Center for Disease Control reports drowning to be the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death amongst children ages 1-14 behind motor vehicle crashes. This can be a great gift that helps protect kids when in or near water.
Nekdoodle® offers a wide variety of pool toys and accessories for kids and adults such as pool floats for swimming, swim collars, pool noodles, water noodles, personal flotation devices, neck floats and foam noodles swimming.
Swim Water Shoes
Water shoes have a great many uses, and can do much more than flip-flops or sandals can. They will keep children’s feet protected from slips, sharp rocks, sunburns and much more making them a good choice as a holiday gift.
This gift can help save a life! Upon purchase of this gift, a donation will be made to the Stew Leonard III Children’s Charities, which grants underprivileged children with FREE swim lessons.It includes a Stewie the Duck book,bright, sunshine yellow hooded towel featuring Stewie the Duck, a Stewie the Duck plush, and bath time toy. All bundled in a playful bucket and shovel set, with helpful water safety advice.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision offer some great guides for selecting suitable toys for Kids Ages 0 – 5 and Kids Ages 6 – 12.
The NDPA thanks all of you for taking the time to comment and for your dedication and support of drowning prevention and we encourage respectful commentary. Given the nature of the commentary on this piece and on previous posts, the NDPA felt it important to provide clarity, define our position as the NDPA, and respond to key issues raised.
It is paramount to state first that the NDPA wholeheartedly believes that swimming lessons are an important layer of protection. At many points in the Facebook commentary, the NDPA was accused of attacking swim lessons as an ineffective way of preventing drowning. That is not accurate and it doesn’t not represent our beliefs as an organization.
We
do however, believe that we cannot rely solely on one singular layer of
protection to prevent drowning. We often cite swim lessons in this context as
there have been many incidents in which skilled swimmers have drown. However, we
also hold this same belief when it comes to other layers of protection. Pool
fences are an important layer, and they can fail. As can self-closing,
self-latching gates. One can forget to put a pool cover back on the pool and an
alarm’s batteries can expire. Just like skilled swimmers can drown, layers of
protection must operate in combination to truly work. This is why the NDPA encourages people to practice all layers of
protection, including learning to swim from high quality lessons.
We are confident that many of you would agree, there is no quick and easy solution that will prevent all drowning. This reality is one of the reasons drowning has been so difficult to stop. The polarization and infighting amongst drowning prevention advocates has also played a major role. As an alliance, we represent all areas of water safety and drowning prevention. We support all layers of protection and, as the Alliance, we will not frame our messaging to focus only on one layer.
We appreciate the passion behind the support of learning to swim but if we only focus on the positive effects, we would be doing a disservice to our audience and the public at large. The author of the article in question was making a point that research shows that parents can become overly reliant on swim lessons as a method to protect their children from drowning. The author is not arguing that swimming lessons aren’t a vital part of protecting a child from drowning. Her point was to shed light on the fact that parent’s over estimate their child’s ability and the need for direct supervision after swimming lessons.
An important item we must address is the accusation that the NDPA is not citing research-based studies to support our stance. As the leading organization in drowning prevention and water safety, we firmly believe that research and evidence-based approaches are of paramount importance. While the NDPA did not write the article posted on our Facebook page, we will stand by the fact that the author does cite relevant research in drowning prevention literature. Please see the list of relevant published research studies below that are often used by the NDPA and some of which were discussed in the article in question.
The research published by Dr. Barbara Morrongiello in 2014 that this article cites is an example. The research showed that “as parents perceive their child to be accumulating swim skills, they increasingly believe that children are capable of keeping themselves from drowning, and as a result, that less active parent supervision of the child is necessary.” Obviously, the parent education component of a learn to swim lesson is vital for parents to fully understand the outcomes of swimming lessons. Parents need to appreciate their child’s abilities in the water after swim lessons and that no one of any age or ability level should swim by themselves. We as the NDPA are not insinuating that a swim instructor would claim that their swim lessons will “drown-proof a child”. However, the article points out that parents can make that assumption on their own, given the results of Dr. Morrongiello’s research.
Another example is related to the statistic that learning to swim will reduce the risk of drowning by 88%. This study was not conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), but by Dr. Ruth Brenner and her colleagues at the National Institute of Child Health and Development and published in 2009. We all applaud the AAP’s move to change the age recommendations and push for starting the learn to swim process at younger ages. However, this article points out important components of the research conducted in by Dr. Brenner and her associates that are often overlooked. We often hear the statistic from this study that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88%. It is often missed that this research had a small sample size and the 95% confidence intervals regarding the protective effects were 3%-99%. There is no argument that this study is an important step forward and has been cited by the AAP as a key reason why they made their recent modifications. However, it is important to note that the team behind this study points to the limitations of their own research and that “swimming skills alone are insufficient to protect a child from drowning.”
There are several research studies below that we as the NDPA have also used in the past to support our stance on several issues. The insinuation that the NDPA does not support, does not believe in, or does not follow relevant evidence and research-based studies and advancements in drowning prevention and water safety is simply inaccurate, unfounded, and completely false. With all due respect, the comments that state the research cited is outdated and inconsistent, furthers the problem we are facing. An example is that AAP just modified their statement and stance regarding swimming lessons this year. That doesn’t make all previous research invalid or inaccurate. We may need to look at opinions, commentary, and research conducted or produced prior to that with the recent changes made in the front of our minds, however, that doesn’t mean we should toss aside any, and everything published prior to 2019.
Additionally,
we never intend to muddy the waters or create inconsistent messages in the
drowning prevention space. Our true intent is to advance the discussion by
sharing viewpoints, information, and educational content that pushes the
drowning prevention and water safety community to have productive discussions
addressing the problems we face. This isn’t easy and sometimes can lead to
controversy. We are all working to reduce drowning, and as stated before and
there is no cure-all to this awful tragedy. We may not always agree on a
singular viewpoint. We may disagree with certain people’s opinions. We may find
the results of a research study to be unhelpful or in direct contradiction of
current messaging. Someone having a differing viewpoint or approach to solving
a complex problem (like drowning), doesn’t make them wrong. Having an open discussion
and addressing issues where there is disagreement is important and the only
action that will advance our shared goals. The NDPA will continue to promote an
open and honest discussion about drowning prevention and water safety that is
factual, evidence based, and honest as this is our responsibility and role in
this space.
Our goal by writing this blog article today is to inform our audience of our decision-making process and the NDPA’s stance on layers of protection as well as our role in the drowning prevention space. It is not to further any arguments or criticism that the NDPA received in relation to this opinion article and in many other instances when sharing various information on our Facebook page. We fully understand and appreciate how highly emotional this topic can be. Our goal is to reduce the number of awful tragedies that causes this to be such an emotional topic. While many disagree with the author or the opinion piece’s tone; we did not share this to support her tone. We shared this work to again shed light on the fact that we can’t be overly reliant on one layer of protection.
The nature of the NDPA as an “alliance” organization means that we, as an alliance, are all in this together. That does not mean its easy and we all agree on everything. But we all can agree drowning is preventable and that the use of multiple layers of protection save lives. With a complex issue such as drowning; the discussion, refinement, and education of the preventative measures will sometimes lead to situations where we find ourselves disagreeing with approaches, messaging, and each other. In these cases, we all need to remind ourselves and others that we share the same goal, to prevent drowning and to save lives.
Brenner, R. A., Taneja, G. S., Haynie, D. L., Trumble, A. C., Qian, C., Kliner, R. M., & Klebanoff, M. A. (2009). Association between swimming lessons and drowning in childhood. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, 163(3), 203-210. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2008.563.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Blog-Covers-5.png315560Adam Katchmarchihttp://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NDPA-Logo.pngAdam Katchmarchi2019-11-23 00:06:512020-09-13 17:47:24Swimming Lessons: One Layer of Protection
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance is Joining the Global GivingTuesday Movement to gather funds for our Material Requests Program.
Tustin, CA. – 11/10/2019 – This GivingTuesday, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance will celebrate giving by launching a fundraiser for the occasion that will allow us to continue supporting communities in need with their water safety educational efforts. The funds gathered will be destined to fulfill the hundreds of requests the NDPA receives every month through our Material Requests Program.
Education is an effective way to reduce drowning incidents.
GivingTuesday, taking place December 3rd, is a global day of
giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and
organizations to encourage giving and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Every
year, on GivingTuesday, millions of people across the globe mobilize to
show up, give back, and change their communities. The goal is to create a
massive wave of generosity that lasts well beyond that day, and touches every
person on the planet.
Founded in 2012, GivingTuesday has inspired millions of people to give
back and support the causes they believe in. In just seven years, GivingTuesday
has radically changed how we think about generosity and showed just how much
power communities everywhere have to create change.
“When GivingTuesday launched in the US in 2012, we
believed that technology and social media could be used to make generosity go
viral,” said Asha Curran, GivingTuesday’s CEO and co-founder. “We believed in
the idea that people fundamentally want to give and to talk about giving; and
that the social sector had the capacity to show more innovative leadership,
creativity, and collaboration. People and organizations around the world proved
us right. As we prepare for December 3, we’re energized and encouraged by the
community’s generosity. The levels of creativity, effort and the quality of the
new ideas people have contributed and shared are phenomenal.”
Those who are interested in joining National Drowning Prevention Alliance’s GivingTuesday initiative can visit http://ndpa.org/givingtuesday-2019/ . For more details about the GivingTuesday movement, visit the GivingTuesday website (www.givingtuesday.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday) or follow @GivingTuesday and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on Twitter.
About the National Drowning Prevention Alliance
As an educational resource for the United States and beyond, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance strives to place emphasis on research, awareness, and policy changes to impact the incidence of toddler drownings in swimming pools, bathtubs, spas and jacuzzis. The result has been an unprecedented growth and presence in national and local drowning prevention efforts.
The NDPA is relentless in the pursuit of its number one goal to put an end to child drownings being the leading cause of unintentional death for children between the ages of 1 and 4.
About GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that has been built by
individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities in the U.S.
and in countries around the world. GivingTuesday harnesses the collective power
of a unique blend of partners to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the
giving season. It inspires people to take collective action to improve their
communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they
believe in, and help create a better world.
To learn more about GivingTuesday participants and activities or
to join the celebration of giving, please visit:
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Swim skills add a layer of protection to prevent drowning incidents.
Formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning among children 1-4 years. This is the only sport that can actually save lives and can also reduce the risk of drowning among older individuals.
Everyone Should Learn To Swim
Swimming is not an instinctive skill for humans. We can not survive in water unless we are taught how to swim. All adults and children should learn to swim.
Role of Swim Lessons
Adults should be smart and aware and never consider children have been “drown proofed” because they’ve had swim lessons. Nothing will ever eliminate the risk of drowning because it simply doesn’t discriminate. Even an Olympic swimmer can drown.
When to Start
Always speak with your pediatrician before considering any water safety/swimming lessons for children. With the right instruction, children can gain skills and a love for the water even at a young age.
The American Academy of Pediatrics updated their policy statement regarding drowning prevention stating that swim lessons are beneficial for children starting around age 1, and may lower drowning rates.
Once parents have decided their child is developmentally ready for swim lessons, they should proceed to look for a program that has experienced, well-trained instructors and fits their budget.
Include Water Safety Education
Ensure that swim instruction includes water safety and survival education at the appropriate developmental level.
Ideally, programs should teach ‘water competency’ too – the ability to get out of the water if your child ends up in the water unexpectedly.
Selecting a Program
Check if the instructor is trained in swim instruction, child development, and currently certified in CPR (some are not). Observe classes before enrollment and monitor lessons for safety skills, the effectiveness of the instructor, the child’s reception to learning, and progress. Lessons should be continuous, year-round, not taken for just one season as skills need to be developed and maintained for life.
Even the best swim lessons cannot “drown-proof” a child, and we strongly recommend parents take the necessary steps to make their child’s environment safer. For homes with a pool, the most important safety measure is a 4-sided fence that completely surrounds the pool and isolates it from the house.
More swimmers will result in a healthier society, fewer drownings, and reduced healthcare costs for the country.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Blog-Covers.png315560Adam Katchmarchihttp://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NDPA-Logo.pngAdam Katchmarchi2019-11-07 02:40:572020-09-20 16:14:49Swimming Lessons as a Layer of Protection to Prevent Drownings
“Layers of protection” is a term used to define and classify the majority of strategies directly affecting aquatic environments in their quest to prevent childhood drowning.
Drowning remains a significant public health concern as it is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 1-4 years, the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 1-14 years, and is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for all ages in the United States (CDC, WISQARS, 2005).
Water-related injuries also affect a significant number of American children. It is estimated that as many as twenty percent of drowning victims suffer severe, permanent neurological disability. Knowing what to do in a water emergency, including how to help someone in trouble in the water safely, can help reduce these numbers.
The following layers of protection are intended to minimize injury should a child gain access to the water and are meant to be used immediately in the event of such an emergency.
Telephone
Emergency pool phone by ePoolphone
Keep a phone poolside (a land line with the pool’s physical address is best) for emergency use so that an adult can call for help if needed. (Calling from a cell phone won’t automatically tell the 911 operator the location.)
Learn CPR
Learn CPR and rescue breathing
Anyone who lives in a home with a pool should learn CPR and rescue breathing. Ensure that babysitters have current CPR training and certification. CPR training and certification should be refreshed every one to two years, depending upon the certification agency, or more frequently if there have been recent changes in recommendations.
In a group, such as a pool party, at least one person should know CPR. Anyone who is the sole supervisor of a child should learn CPR and rescue breathing.
Water Safety and Rescue Course
Canadian Red Cross Water Safety Course
Pool owners and operators should enroll in a local water safety course that teaches proper rescue techniques. Course should include hands-on practice using a shepherd’s hook and life-saving ring.
Organizations like the American Red Cross offer water safety and rescue courses and certifications.
Rescue Equipment
Life ring at swimming pool
Keep a life-saving ring and shepherd’s hook at poolside.
CPR instructions should be posted poolside.
Know how to use the rescue equipment and perform CPR.
Search
If a child is missing, always check the pool first. Seconds count. If a child cannot be located immediately, call 9-1-1 and enlist assistance in the search.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Blog-Covers-3.png315560Adam Katchmarchihttp://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NDPA-Logo.pngAdam Katchmarchi2019-10-04 02:44:422020-09-13 17:49:30Layers of Protection that Address Emergencies
Drowning has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/ immersion in liquid.” The outcome of a drowning incident can be classified as “death,” “morbidity,” and “no morbidity”. The more common terms used in discussions are “fatal” or “nonfatal” drownings.
According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 1-4 years, the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 1-14 years, and is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for all ages in the United States. Water-related injuries also affect a significant number of American children. An estimated twenty percent of drowning victims suffer severe, permanent neurological disability.
Drowning is, however, preventable and the NDPA recognizes that multiple strategies are necessary in order to do so. The term “layers of protection” is one used to classify the majority of strategies directly affecting aquatic environments. Parents, caregivers, residential pool owners, 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.
“Layers of protection” include:
Supervision
Parents, adults and caregivers must actively supervise children at all times when in or near the water and be fully aware of potential dangers in all environments, such as when visiting other homes, while on vacation, or at public/community pools.
Always designate a water watcher to actively supervise children when in or near water.
Unfortunately, many drowning incidents have occurred when people are solely engaged in swimming or other water play, and adults know children are in the water and those adults are nearby.
Active supervision is the first and most important layer of protection needed to prevent drowning accidents. Always assign a water watcher when kids are in the water who will watch them at all times without any distractions.
Physical Layers
Fences are the first physical line of defense that restrict access to the pool.
Physical layers may also be considered as barriers and constitute the first line of physical defense that restrict unauthorized access to the pool or spa area in its entirety or prevent unauthorized access to the water in the pool or spa.
Bear in mind that barriers are not child proof, but they do provide layers of protection for a child when there is a lapse in adult supervision. Barriers give parents additional time to find a child before the unexpected can occur. (USCPSC).
Physical layers that limit access to the pool or spa area:
Fences,
Gates
Latches
House doors
Pool safety cover
Physical layers that restrict access to the water include:
Pool and spa safety covers (power-operated, semi-automatic or manual)
Pool safety nets
Winter safety covers
Learn to Swim
Swimming lessons should be considered an additional layer of protection needed to prevent drowning accidents. Surviving in the water becomes increasingly difficult without this life-saving skill. According to the CDC, formal swimming lessons can reduce the chances of drowning by 88 percent.
Image: Northern Beaches Council
When selecting a swimming class for your child, ensure it includes water safety and survival education at the appropriate developmental level.
Other than the layers listed above, there are additional layers needed in case an emergency should occur that include learning CPR, first aid and rescue knowledge.
Alarms
Alarms are an important addition to creating a safer environment.
They can be added to windows, doors, gates and the pool to alert an adult when a barrier has been breached. While the primary goal of layers of protection is to prevent unauthorized access to the water, alarms are important to alert adults if access to the water has been made.
Alarms can be your last line of defense and allow adults to respond to an emergency quicker.
Active adult supervision and pool barriers are two key layers of protection against child drowning and must always be present, but be aware that not even the most diligent parent or caregiver can actively supervise a child 24/7. Barriers can be breached which is why the NDPA urges using multiple strategies and devices simultaneously to help prevent injuries and deaths from drowning.
Each additional layer or strategy beyond the first could be the one that saves a life so be sure to use as many as possible at all times.
For more detailed information, read our complete position paper here.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Blog-Covers-1.png315560Adam Katchmarchihttp://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NDPA-Logo.pngAdam Katchmarchi2019-09-01 12:56:102020-11-10 10:11:48What are “layers of protection”?
D&D Technologies is the founder and one of the sustaining sponsors of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
It was thanks to their vision and effort that the NDPA was created in 2004 as a product of their commitment to preventing toddler drowning worldwide while working closely with, and contributing to, water safety organizations globally. Since then, they have been a great ally and supporter of drowning prevention and water safety education efforts across the globe.
D&D Technologies started out in Sydney, Australia, evolving from a small, family-owned fencing company to become a worldwide leader in gate hardware. Owners of the then D&D Aluminium Fencing company had been frustrated by the lack of reliable, durable latches and hinges to complement their custom-made aluminium-and-glass pool fencing systems.
In 1988, one of the company’s founders, David Doyle, saw a science program featuring “rare earth” magnets – highly efficient magnets that never lose their magnetic force. Devising a latching mechanism around this idea, and using rust-free engineering polymers and stainless steel components, the MagnaLatch was born.
MagnaLatch® Magnetic Child Safety Gate Latch
D&D gained international recognition with its ground-breaking MagnaLatch® magnetic child safety gate latch for swimming pool and other child safety gates, winning several prestigious design awards for its revolutionary design. They invented magnetic gate latches (MagnaLatch®) and rust-free polymer gate hinges (TruClose®) to keep your children safe by blocking their unsupervised access to the water. Their strength, reliability and ease of adjustment make them the perfect choice for gates where child safety is important.
D&D Technologies is committed to help educate the public about the importance of having pool gates and fences as a needed layer of protection against drowning accidents. Well aware that drowning is the number 1 cause of accidental deaths for children ages 1 – 4, they continuously share information in the interest of consumer and public safety to help reduce this statistic.
Go over this checklist courtesy of D&D and make sure your pool gates are contributing to keep your child safe and they comply with U.S. safety standards such as the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
D&D Technologies is a Platinum Sponsor for the 2020 National Water Safety Conference to be held in Fort Worth, TX from April 5 -9, 2020. Register for the conference here: bit.ly/NDPA2020.
You can also become an NDPA sponsor and contribute to our efforts to prevent drowning! Click here for more information.
Andrea Wells Director, Marketing & Communications awells@phta.org
PHTA Partner National Drowning Prevention Alliance Becomes a Proud Supporter
(ALEXANDRIA, VA)—The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) is proud to announce that our safety partner the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) supports the adoption of International Swimming Pool & Spa Code (ISPSC) to help save lives When adopted, the ISPSC will provide the country’s 13 -14 million backyard residential pools and spas the same level of high bather safety protection that the VGB mandates for the nation’s 300,000 public pools.
“The NDPA supports the adoption of the ISPSC in states and local jurisdictions around the country,” said NDPA Executive Director, Dr. Adam Katchmarchi. “We believe that the adoption of the ISPSC is a great step towards making pools and spas safer and look forward to help promote its adoption..”
The International Swimming Pool & Spa Code (ISPSC) is a comprehensive pool and spa code that regulates the minimum requirements for the design, construction, alteration and repair and maintenance of new residential and public pools and spas, including aboveground pools, waterparks, and factory built portable hot tubs. It specifically addresses guidelines on how to comply with the VGB requirements for suction entrapment avoidance and layers of protection inhibiting unintended entry and drowning prevention.
“We’re encouraged for increased bather safety that the message is resonating and more and more of PHTA partners are supporting the adoption of the ISPSC, said PHTA Vice President of Standards and Technical , Carvin DiGiovanni.” “As we look toward the future, ISPSC adoption will enhance the safe use of our industry’s pools and spas reducing incidences while increasing the joy and health benefits they provide.” PHTA has always been on the forefront of ISPSC adoption. We will continue to educate the industry and stakeholders on the value and benefits of the ISPSC.”
The great news is as of June 1, 21 states and 181 local jurisdictions have adopted it providing new safety protection for millions of residential swimming pool owners and users. Check out the full ISPSC Adoption Status Report at APSP.org/ISPSC.
About PHTA The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance was formed in 2019, combining the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) and the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF). With the mission to “Celebrate the Water,” PHTA facilitates the expansion of swimming, water safety and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit APSP.org or NSPF.org.
Drowning is still a leading cause of accidental death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1–4, the second leading cause for children under 14, and remains in the top five causes of accidental death up to age 55. Drowning is reported as the fifth leading cause of accidental death in the United States overall. It is worth noting that more children ages 1–4 die from accidental drowning than motor vehicle accidents. We seem to be in a repeating circle as our drowning numbers in the United States remain nearly steady year after year. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that 163 children fatally drowned between Memorial Day and Labor Day in 2017; nearly 70 percent of them were children under the age of five. What can give us all hope is that drowning is a 100-percent preventable accident.
Prevention is the most important weapon against drowning and other aquatic incidents. Prevention is not a new concept when it comes to water safety. However, there is now a tool that puts prevention and safety at the forefront for both residential and commercial pools. The International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) is one of the most important documents ever to come out for the industry and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) is proud to support it. It contains everything a pool contractor needs to make the pool safe and operate efficiently. You may ask yourself why consistent codes and standards for pool and spa construction are important for the health and safety of the public. The best answer is that the ISPSC sets the minimum standard for pool and spa safety by substantially reducing the risk of child drowning through introducing or enhancing requirements for residential pools and spas. The adoption of the ISPSC can reduce drowning accidents by requiring barriers, compliant design and slopes for entry and exit, work towards the elimination of entrapment incidents once and for all, and ensure that pools and spas are built using approved and safe materials. As you can see, the ISPSC goes well beyond addressing safety.
Mandating change seems to work when dealing with pool and spa safety. Over 10 years have passed since the passage of the only federal law for pool safety in the United States. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB P&SS Act) has made a significant impact on the safety of commercial pools and spas. The mandating of unlockable drain covers and the installation of other anti-entrapment devices has resulted in no entrapment deaths in commercial pools and spas since the law was passed. Additionally, the access to safety information and advice for the consumer has increased substantially with the creation of the Pool Safely Campaign under the CPSC. It is important to note that when adopted, the ISPSC will mandate the same level of safety protection for residential backyard pools and spas that the VGB P&SS Act requires for public pools and spas. In addition, the CPSC has recognized the jurisdictions that have adopted the ISPSC as being eligible to apply for CPSC’s pool and spa training funds.
Organizations such as the NDPA and the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA; formerly the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals) have encouraged pool operators and owners to employ as many layers of protection as possible around swimming pools and spas. Simply put, the concept of layers of protection is a multi-faceted approach that includes a mix of supervision, barriers, alarms and safety devices to lessen the chance of a tragic incident. The more layers of protection put in place, the less chance an incident will occur. Layers of protection often include the following: fencing and barriers around water; self-closing, self-latching gates; hard-shell pool covers; door, window, gate and water alarms; ensuring the pool or spa has met all required codes; having rescue equipment near the pool or spa; learning CPR, first aid and teaching everyone to swim; always having responsible supervision around the water; and keeping the pool and spa area secure and free of toys and other attractive nuisances when not in use.
As simple as these safety steps can be to employ around a pool or spa, many unsafe pools and spas still exist. Since 2000, the fatal drowning rates in the United States have not seen a substantial drop. It is more imperative than ever that solutions are brought forward that can begin to make important and much-needed steps in the right direction. The ISPSC is an important part of the solution. The ISPSC is one of a kind as there is no other comprehensive model swimming pool and spa code available that addresses all types of pool and spas and all aspects of construction and design. Even though most states and local jurisdictions have some form of existing pool codes, most lack a comprehensive code or law that addresses all aspects of design, construction, and safety of residential pools and spas. Many jurisdictions around the country lack even minimal barrier and/or suction-fitting requirements in residential pools.
As a uniform building code that has been (as of this writing) adopted in 20 states and 171 local jurisdictions, the ISPSC is playing a vital role in changing the nature of safety in backyard pools and spas. When reviewing the ISPSC, one of the first things that comes to mind is the requirements for specific safety steps around pools and spas, including barriers and the use of alarms. As cited by national agencies and organizations, barriers and alarms are one of the most important components to reducing unsupervised pool access by children. While any type of new regulations can be a hard sell, this particular regulation is important for the pool and spa industry. We must make it our mission to make pool and spas safer to reduce both fatal and non-fatal drownings and other aquatic injuries. Creating safer pools and spas is essential to reducing the incidence of drowning. The ISPSC is a much-needed step in the right direction for both the commercial and residential industries in our goal of making water safer.
To contrast the impact of the ISPSC, there are approximately 300,000 public pools and spas currently protected by the VGB P&SS Act and in comparison, close to 13 million backyard pools and spas that are not. Adoption of the ISPSC achieves this goal. The objective must be to get the ISPSC adopted into law in order to have residential pools and spas achieve the same level of mandated safety protection that the VGB P&SS Act requires for public pools and spas. Simply put, the ISPCS, when adopted becomes the “VGB P&SS Act” for residential pools. Drowning impacts so many people each year and a promising tool is here to help. It is time to mandate change and implement the ISPSC so that our staggering statistics change for the better.
Statement of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance in Support of the International Swimming Pool & Spa Code
The International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) is a model code that regulates the minimum requirements for the design, construction, alteration, repair and maintenance of new or substantially re-modeled swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and aquatic facilities. This includes public swimming pools, public spas, public exercise spas, aquatic recreation facilities, permanent in-ground residential pools and spas, and permanent residential pools and spas among other water venues. The National Drowning Prevention Alliance supports the adoption of the ISPSC in states and local jurisdictions around the country. Many states and local jurisdictions have already done just that. More should follow suit.
Developed in collaboration with the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance, (PHTA; formerly the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, APSP), ISPSC adoption provides many benefits supporting the safety and health of water. If adopted, the code requires pools and other water facilities to: meet the requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act; meet the APSP–7 standard for suction entrapment avoidance; require layers of protection around pools and spas that help prevent the unfettered access by children, including fencing, covers, and door and window alarms; and ensures that water quality is healthy and safe, among many other safety and health provisions.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Blog-Covers-3.png315560Adam Katchmarchihttp://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NDPA-Logo.pngAdam Katchmarchi2019-07-18 23:45:052020-09-20 16:26:48Finally, backyard swimming pools and spas can now be as safe as VGB-compliant public pools
Water Safety is defined as the procedures, precautions and policies associated with safety in, on and around bodies of water, where there is a risk of injury or drowning. It has applications in several occupations, sports and recreational activities, and above all at home and in real life.
Constant supervision is needed to avoid drowning incidents.
Since drowning is the number one cause of injury-related death among children between the ages of 1 and 5 and the second leading cause of death for children ages 1-14, water safety should be a priority for parents, teachers and caregivers.
Drowning incidents don’t happen as portrayed on film and TV. They can be difficult to detect as drowning is an extremely silent event. Contrary to popular perception, there is little or no splashing to be seen, no sound involved. Children can drown in front of other children, adults and even lifeguards before anyone realizes what has happened.
It only takes a moment. A child or weak swimmer can drown in the time it takes to reply to a text message, check a fishing line or take a picture. Death and injury from drownings happen every day in domestic environments such as home pools, hot tubs, bathtubs even buckets and in open water like the beach or in oceans, lakes, rivers and streams.
Here are 5 water safety facts to keep in mind:
10 fatal drownings per day
In the U.S. drowning takes an average of 3,500 – 4,000 lives per year. That is an average of 10 fatal drownings per day. According to the CDC, from 2005-2014, there were an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually in the United States, which ia about ten deaths per day. An additional 332 people died each year from drowning in boating-related incidents. About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.
Drowning is among the top 5 causes of unintentional injury
Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury related death for children ages 1-4. Drowning remains in the top 5 causes of unintentional injury related death from birth to 54 years old.
23% of child drownings happen during a family gathering near a pool
CDC data show that in children most drownings occur in residential swimming pools while in adults, most drownings occur in natural waters. Most child drownings occur when children get into the pool on their own. The CDC found that most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and the majority of these drownings took place in the midst of a family reunion or gathering.
Learning to swim can reduce the risk of drowning by 88%
Learning to swim can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% for 1-4 year olds who take formal swim lessons. Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning up to 88%. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics modified their recommendations about swim lessons, citing studies that show most children over the age of one may be at lower risk of drowning if they have some formal swimming instruction.
Drowning is fast and silent.
Drowning can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds, the time it takes to apply some sunscreen or post a tweet on social media. Movies depict drowning as flailing and screaming for help but in reality this is not the case. Drowning is quick, silent and deadly and unless you’re a trained professional you may miss the signs of drowning all together. Drowning victims seldom have the time, energy or air to call for help. There aren’t any flailing arms or big splashing to catch onlookers’ attention.
Education is key to prevent unintentional drownings. The NDPA relies on donations from our members, friends, and supporters to continue our work. With your support we can continue to bring people, groups, and leaders together to prevent drownings. Remember our mission – “Together WE can PREVENT the tragedy of drowning!”
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