Sunday marked one week since a vigil was held for a Port St. Lucie toddler who died after drowning in the family pool.
Statistics point to drowning as an ongoing safety concern with children.
According to the CDC,one in five people who die from drowning are children fourteen and younger.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance also states that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children one to four years.
The NDPA is raising awareness on pool safety tips by emphasizing the layers of protection every parent should keep in mind.
NDPA spokesperson Eric Lupton believes these guidelines are instrumental in keeping children safe.
“Drowning is preventable,” he said, “with layers of protection, there’s no reason for accidental drowning to be as much of an epidemic as they are.”
Lupton is also the owner of Life Saver Pool Fence – a pool fence company based in Delray Beach.
Casey Buckley, who works as a distributor at Life Saver Pool Fence, trusts a pool fence to keep his own
toddler at bay.
“Out of all those layers,” Buckley said, “the fence is the only actual, physical barrier that can stop a child physically from going into the pool."
In addition to physical barriers, the NDPA's layers of protection also include the following:
- Adult supervision
- Alarms
- Swimming Lessons
