Drowning Impact Awareness Month’ encourages water safety

PHOENIX – More than 300 children in Arizona drowned from 2000 to 2009.

It is the leading cause of injury-related death for children between the ages of one and five.

To date this year in Maricopa County alone, 11 of the 66 children involved in water-related incidents have died.

With the hottest days of Arizona’s monsoon season still to come throughout August, the highest drowning risk is still ahead of us.

Last August alone, five children drowned in Maricopa County.

The Phoenix Children’s Hospital offers these tips to practice the ABC’s of Water Safety:

• Adult supervision when children have access to water is critical.
• Barriers must be placed between children and water. An effective barrier could have prevented 95 percent of the drownings studied by the Arizona Child Fatality Review Team.
• Classes in CPR for adults, and swimming lessons for children at the appropriate age, can round out a family’s water safety plan.

The hospital is also coordinating the Eighth Annual “Drowning Impact Awareness Month” with a statewide campaign of purple ribbons representing awareness and action.

This year, the campaign will include:More than 60,000 purple ribbons already distributed to supporters statewide.

• Formal proclamations signed by Governor Brewer and Mayors across the state many presented at local Council meetings.
• More than 1,200 purple ribbons tied in the trees in front of Phoenix Children’s Hospital to represent the number of children involved in water related incidents in Maricopa County since 2000.
• Banners and signs, donated and produced by SRP Safety Connection, hanging in public buildings, libraries, La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores and YMCA’s throughout Maricopa County.
• Involvement, support and educational events from businesses, schools and the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona.