Summer Drownings 'Snapshot' Paints a Tragic Picture

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- While most families will hold fond memories of the fun they had this summer, at least 1,592 families who lost a loved one to drowning will remember the summer of 2011 with sorrow.

"This summer was marred by tragedy for too many families," says Mick Nelson, facilities development director at USA Swimming, Colorado Springs, Colo., who has tracked drowning news reports since 2008. He recently submitted those reports to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.

At least 416 children, ages 12 and younger; 204 teenagers, ages 13 to 19; and 972 adults drowned according to news gathered from May 1 through August 26. Nearly 84 percent of all reported drownings involved males.

Among the reported child drownings, 286 - nearly 70 percent - were younger than 5 and about 70 percent occurred in a swimming pool or spa. About 70 percent of these young drowning victims were boys.

About 1,180 drownings occurred in natural water such as lakes, rivers, oceans, ponds and ditches. The majority of these victims were teenagers and adults. Nelson notes that alcohol was mentioned in 57 percent of adult drowning news reports - a 17 percent increase over previous years. However, he states this increase could be due to more detailed reporting.

States with the highest number of reported drownings include: Texas, 140; California, 115; Florida, 90; Michigan, 79; New York, 57; and Pennsylvania, 63.

"The end of the summer does not signal the end of drowning incidents," says NDPA Executive Director Kim Burgess of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "While the drowning rate peaks during summer, it's a serious year-round problem, especially for children ages four and younger who drown in bathtubs, buckets, toilets and other containers."

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death to children nationally. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that an average of 5,100 pool- or spa-related submersion injuries were treated in emergency departments each year from 2008 through 2010. From 2006 to 2008 an annual average of 383 pool- or spa-related fatalities involved children younger than 15. More than three-quarters of the reported fatalities and nearly 80 percent of the treated injuries involved children younger than 5.

To fulfill public education requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act, the CPSC created the Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign. The NDPA is one of several organizations contracted by the CPSC to help with public education and outreach. Parents and pool owners are encouraged to visit Pool Safely.gov and NDPA.org for safety tips, informational videos and children's games and activities.

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004. NDPA members are dedicated to preventing drowning through public education, advocacy and strategic partnerships.

Summer 2011 U.S. Drowning Snapshot: http://www.ereleases.com/pic/Summer-2011-Drowning-Snapshot.pdf

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Beverly M. Payton
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SOURCE National Drowning Prevention Alliance