Parental vigilance can prevent drownings

Gueria Gaston sat at the edge of the Liberty Park outdoor swimming pool Friday, intently watching his three children splash in the water. If trouble arose, Gaston would be there, lifeguards or not.

"I would jump in no matter who (was drowning)," said Gaston. "I wouldn't have to wait for them (the lifeguards)."

Pools will provide young swimmers with fun, exercise and a dose of sun this summer. But parents should not forget about the potential dangers. Careful watching and an understanding of rescuing procedures could save lives.

Gaston was an exception at the pool Friday. Many parents enjoyed reading, sun-bathing, or sleeping while their children dunked and dived in the pool.

Experts from all sides said a careful watch of children will prevent the most damage.

"We have parents that use the pool as a baby sitter," said Mia Caselli, head life guard at the Taylorsville Outdoor Pool. "They don't watch the child."

According to the Safe Kids U.S. Summer Safety Ranking Report released last May, nine out of 10 drownings across the country "occur during a brief lapse in supervision."

"We ask parents with children under 5 to be within arms length (in Salt Lake County pools)," said Kristien Riker, Aquatics Committee chairwoman of Salt Lake County. "Kids under 3 could go under and try and take a breath, and then they've got water in their lungs."

The safety report ranked Utah a lowly 39th in the nation for overall child safety during the summer months. In the years 2000 to 2004, 26 Utah children drowned, according to the Utah Department of Health. Of those deaths, 20 were male, while just 6 were female.

While watching remains key in preventing young swimmers from the dangerous depths of pools, adults should also be prepared to rescue in case something happens.

"It is very important for all parents to be familiar with CPR," said detective Jeff Bedard of the Salt Lake City Police Department. "They could save a life."

Those who learned CPR any time before last year may need to return for more training. In 2006, the Emergency Cardio Care guidelines changed across the country. Traditionally, adults received 15 compressions (pushing down in the chest area) to every two breaths they administered. The ratio for infants and children was five to one. The standard changed last year to 30 compressions to two breaths, for both the young and old.