DROWNING STARTS IN JUST 1 MINUTE.
DROWNING HAPPENS IN JUST 1 INCH OF WATER.
DROWNING CAN BE PREVENTED BY 1 PERSON GETTING A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION.
THAT PERSON IS YOU.
Below, pick the water environment that your family enjoys.
Spend just a few minutes on one of the resources.
Bathtime
Bathtime should be all splashes and bubbles and rubber duckies.
Yet, in the U.S., drownings of children under age one most often occur in the bathtub - sometimes even if an older sibling was right in there with them. Arm yourself with knowledge and keep your child safe.
Water Around the House
While baths and pools are the most risky areas for drowning in the home, they are not the only ones. Drowning can occur in only 1 inch of water - that means kiddy pools, mop buckets, animal troughs, bird baths, even the toilet bowl poses a threat. Open your eyes to the hidden risks in your house and keep your home a safe place for your family.
Water Sports
Surfing, waterskiing, fishing - water sports represent a special mixture of exhilaration, freedom and serenity. Review these resources before embarking on your summer adventures to ensure that your water sport fun stays that way.
Swimming Pools
In the U.S., drownings of children aged 1-4 most often occur in home swimming pools. Black children ages 5 to 19 drown in swimming pools at a rate more than five times that of white children.
Almost all of these drawings are preventable. Make sure you know simple precautions so that you can ensure that swimming pools are a source of joy, not tragedy.
Open Water (rivers, lakes, ponds, oceans)
From Lake Michigan to the Chicago River to Herrick’s Lake, open water provides everything from fun in the sun to life-sustaining drinking water. Unfortunately, life-giving water can turn catastrophic in moments. In the US, drownings after the age of 5 occur most often in open water. Educate yourself and your family on open water safety - it is truly a gift of life.
Photo courstesty of Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesBoating
Picture sailing over a picturesque lake or navigating white water in a kayak. We all know the picture should include a lifejacket, right? Except in 88% of boating drowning deaths, the victim wasn’t wearing a lifejacket. Nothing is more tragic than a death that could have been so easily prevented. Protect yourself and your family with that and the other simple - but often overlooked - steps to a safe boating experience.
DROWNING CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
ANY AGE. ANY TIME. ANY WEATHER.
Drowning Statistics
Prevention Strategies
#DROWNINGISPREVENTABLE
Learn more about Lake Michigan’s rip currents and structural currents.
To watch the full Rip Current Rescue documentary, click here.
Video clip generously donated by CSK Group and Jason Markland.