3 Drownings Prompt Warning

In the wake of multiple recent drownings or near-drownings in the region, Murrieta's fire chief wants residents to know some life-saving advice.

"I just wanted to get the word out," Murrieta Fire Chief Matt Shobert told Patch Monday.  "Something was pulling at my conscience to get something out and maybe prevent one tragedy."

Just this weekend, a child drowned in Moreno Valley, according to Cal Fire and Chief Shobert.  On June 1, a Murrieta 2-year-old drowned in a family pool.  And on June 3, a toddler regained consciousness after nearly drowning in Temecula.

"One [drowning] is too many, and here we have already had three incidents," Shobert told Patch.

To help educate parents and others who may be watching children swim this summer, Shobert released a drowning prevention fact sheet, which offers up advice on things like potential drowning dangers at home, what to do in 'open water' areas like the beach, and how to prevent entrapment in a hot tub.

"On any warm day-- and we’re just at the front of summer coming up-- I look at the pool and I just see tragedy waiting to happen," he said.

According to the chief, one of the most important things that needs to be done is to appoint an adult as a point-person to watch children when they're swimming, since many times everyone thinks someone else is watching.

"All too often, they all think somebody else will catch it," Shobert said, adding that to make matters worse-- there is often no audible indication when a child is drowning."There's no splashing, there’s no screaming, there’s no cries for help...it’s just silence," Shobert said.  

According to the chief, drowning prevention is a multi-level process that doesn't only include being careful about watching swimmers, but also being prepared.

"It's a two or three-pronged process," he said.  "Not only to be vigilant in prevention activities, but also be prepared if something does go wrong; have phone by pool, know CPR."

Here are some of the main points from Shobert's drowning prevention fact sheet.  (Find the entire document online here):

• Actively supervise your children around water at all times, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency. 
• Make sure your pool has four-sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised. In addition, hot tubs should be covered and locked when not in use. 
• Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both to alert you if a child wanders into the pool area unsupervised. 
• From the start, teach children to never go near or in water without an adult present. 
• Enroll your child in swimming lessons after age 4 – typically the earliest age when they are likely to practice and retain information.
• Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore. 
• Learn CPR and know how to respond in water emergencies.