New data released Wednesday by the USA Swimming Foundation shows a 34 percent increase in fatal drownings for Texas children in pools and spas in 2018.
According to the report, 38 children under age 15 drowned in a pool or spa in Texas in 2018. In 2017, that number was 25. The new report is based on numbers pulled from media reports in the state.
The 38 child drownings in Texas were the second-most of any state in 2018. Only Florida, with 44 reported drownings in pools and spas, had more. Nationwide, there were 253 media-reported fatal drownings in 2018 for children under age 15.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign offers the following recommendations for pool safety with children:
- Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your children closely around all bodies of water.
- Designate a Water Watcher to supervise children in the pool or spa. This person should not be reading, using a smart phone or be otherwise distracted.
- Learn how to swim, and teach your child how to swim.
- Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults.
- Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.
- Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards, and if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safe drain covers and ask your public pool if their drains are “VGB compliant.”