County Offers Swimming Safety Tips Following Near-Drowning Incident in Ramona

After a near-drowning incident last weekend in Ramona, county officials are reminding parents to think about safety first as the summer activity of swimming is in full swing.

“It’s tragic to hear about the death of a child due to accidental drowning,” said Chairman Greg Cox, County Board of Supervisors. “It can almost always have been prevented by keeping an eye on kids all the time they are in the water.”

A 7-year-old nearly drowned last weekend in a Ramona swimming pool, Cal Fire said. He was recuperating after being flown via helicopter to a nearby hospital.

Drowning is the leading cause of death due to injuries for young children ages 1 to 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Nationally, three children die every day as a result of drowning. In San Diego County in 2012, there were seven drowning deaths of children age 14 and younger. So far in 2013, there have been four children's deaths from drowning.

“When children are near or around water, it is critical to give them 100% attention,” said Debra Zanders-Willis, director of County Child Welfare Services. “With young children, it is important to know they can drown not only in pools but also in as little as a few inches of water.”

In addition to being watchful of kids in water, parents are also reminded that plastic inflatable flotation devices are not life jackets and should never be substituted for adult supervision. Adults should also know the address of their location in case they need to call emergency personnel.

Educating residents about safe recreation is an important goal of Live Well San Diego, the County’s ongoing initiative to improve health and safety of residents.        

“We want residents to always keep water safety in mind when kids are swimming so that they and their families can have fun and be safe this summer,” Zanders-Willis said.

—County News Center