Water Safety Coalition Issues July 4 Safety Reminders: RivCo

Press release from the Riverside County Water Safety Coalition:

July 1, 2021

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the Riverside County Water Safety Coalition debuted a video at Tuesday’s (June 29) Board of Supervisor’s meeting, reminding residents to always be alert and keep both eyes on children when near any type of water.

Drownings can happen anywhere water is present – in a swimming pool and even something as small as a bucket of water.

“Drowning is silent, so keeping constant watch over our children when they are in or near water is a crucial part of water safety,” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung, Riverside County Public Health Officer.

During the warm summer months and throughout the year, the Riverside County Water Safety Coalition, made up of local partners including RUHS Medical Center, Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, CalFire/Riverside County Fire Department and RUHS Public Health offers the following tips and reminders for residents:

• If you own a pool, have layers of protection to keep unsupervised kids out of the pool area. Have a fence around the pool, use safety covers and think about installing alarms or motion detectors near the pool gate. Gates should close on their own and open away from the pool.

• Assign an adult who can swim as the designated “Water Watcher” even if there are lifeguards present. Children should never be left unattended near any water source for any period of time.

• Enroll your kids in swimming lessons and have them wear appropriate life jackets. Floaties aren’t enough to keep kids from drowning.

• Finally, if you’ve never learned, get trained in CPR, basic first aid and rescue methods. One day it could be you that saves a life.

• Adults are also at risk for drowning. For the safest experience in or near water, adults should avoid consuming alcohol and certain medications as these can influence a person’s judgment, balance and ability to swim.

In response to the COVID pandemic, the coalition has adapted and expanded its outreach to caregivers through virtual platforms.

Water safety workshops are FREE and conducted in both English and Spanish.

For information and resources, visit https://rivcowatersafety.org or call 951.358.7171.

This press release was produced by the Riverside County Water Safety Coalition. The views expressed here are the author's own.