Community Corner

Rash of Child Drowning Accidents in Sac Area

How to keep your kids safe

Along with festivals and barbecues, the beginning of summer also often brings with it more somber news: reports of small children drowning in backyard pools, often with parents standing not too far away.

There have been at least four drownings and near-drownings involving infants and toddlers in the Sacramento area this past week. A 14-month-old Saturday. In two separate Elk Grove accidents, a toddler and an infant barely survived after being submerged in water—one in a , the other in a bathtub.

Two-thirds of drowning deaths nationwide occur between May and August, according to the nonprofit Safe Kids USA—and they can happen fast.

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"It doesn't take long to get into trouble in a pool," Cosumnes Fire Chief Tracey Hansen told Patch Friday.

Local emergency responders offer these tips to keep your kids safe:

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  • Never leave children unattended around water.
  • Teach kids to swim at a young age.
  • Fence off swimming pool areas, and place alarms on doors leading to them. Add an extra fence around the pool itself to keep small children out.
  • Make sure children wear life jackets in and near water—even if they know how to swim. Armband "floaties" are not enough.
  • If you can't afford life jackets, several area fire departments—including the Roseville Fire Department, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department and the Cosumnes Fire Department—lend them out for free.

Do you own a pool? Is it fenced off? Tell us in the comments.


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