Adult Supervision, Barriers & CPR: Local Expert Shares ABCs Of Water Safety
ANTELOPE (CBS13) — In the midst of a global pandemic, families are spending more time at home while parents juggle working remotely and keeping the kids entertained.
Home pools are typically filled with family and friends having tons of fun, but that could easily take a turn for the worst if you take your eyes off the pool for just a moment.
The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a warning in May about an increased risk of drownings amid COVID-19 as kids are spending more time at home with parents and caregivers distracted by work and other responsibilities.
Meghan Zapata has a backyard pool at her home in Antelope. She says the pool comes with a lot of responsibility.
"I want to be that house that kids want to hang out at, their friends want to come to," Zapata said. "I'm always out here with them I never let them in the pool without me."
But since the coronavirus pandemic hit, Zapata has had to work from home and says it's hard to split her attention between her kids and work.
READ: 'Drowning Is Quick And It's Silent': 9 Out Of 10 Drowning Deaths Happen While Child Is Supervised
"They know even though we're there, it doesn't mean that they can go in the pool," she said.
Trauma prevention coordinator Jennifer Rubin with Mercy San Juan Medical Center says drownings are a major concern, especially moving into the summer months.
"From 2000 to 2015, so those 15 years, we lost 90 kids ages zero to 18 here in Sacramento County and two-third of them are between zero to five," Rubin said.
In a story you saw first on CBS13, an 18-month-old nearly drowned Monday afternoon in a South Sacramento kiddie pool filled with only a couple inches of water.
"They can get into backyard pools or a kiddie pool that's just sitting there in just a moment and they do it very quietly," Rubin said.
Rubin provided some water safety tips that area as easy as ABC:
A - Adult Supervision. Always have adult eyes on the pool when kids are swimming.
B - Barriers. Put up a fence around the pool if you can.
C - CPR & Swim classes.
"CPR saves lives especially when it comes to drowning and then once we are able to, let's start signing up for swim classes," Rubin said.
If you are interested, the American Red Cross is a great place to go for CPR classes. And there a number of resources to help prepare yourself for the swim season here: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/swimming