BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Kern County Public Health is reminding everyone that as temperatures rise, it is important to utilize pools and water equipment safely.
According to the Kern County Child Death Review Team, since 2014, Kern County lost 32 children to accidental drowning and 27 of those were less than six years old. In 2019, seven children died from accidental drowning.
Officials said many times, these drownings happen because of lapse of supervision, safety mechanism failures and lack of CPR initiation.
Public health is offering the following safety tips:
- Watch kids when they're in or near water, without being distracted. Keep young children within arm’s reach of an adult.
- Empty tubs, buckets, containers and kiddie pools immediately after use.
- Install fences around home pools. A pool fence should surround all sides of the pool and be at least four feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates.
- Learn CPR. Performing resuscitation on a drowning victim in the time it takes for first responders to arrive could save their life.
To learn more, visit website kernpublichealth.com or Safe Kids International safekids.org.
