Kids Water Safety. Press Confernce. Helping to keep kids safe. Safety Demonstration/Campsite Canvass. Friday, June 29, :00 a.m.

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1 Kids Water Safety Helping to keep kids safe. Safety Demonstration/Campsite Canvass Press Confernce Media Kit Friday, June 29, :00 a.m. Kern River Camp Ground Bakersfield, CA 93306

2 Agenda Welcome and Introduction Heidi Carter Escudero Marketing and Promotion Associate Kern County Department of Human Services River Safety Sgt. Ken Smith Kern County Sheriff s Department Search and Rescue Canals Derek Tisinger Public Information Officer Kern County Fire Department Pools and Standing Water Garth Milam Batallion Chief Bakersfield City Fire Department Child Death Statistics Jane Yadon Child Death Review Team Kern County Public Health Services Department Options for Parents Misty Peters Swim Director American Kids Sports Center Swift Water Demonstrations Campsite Canvass

3 Question & Answer Also in attendance and available for comment Gaby Tamayo Health and Safety Director American Red Cross Kern Chapter Silvia Lozano-Cuesta Health Education Assistant Spanish Representative Kern County Public Health Services Department Jose Luis Gonzales Division of Outreach and Communication Services Kern County Department of Human Services

4 Water Safety Here are some safety tips to remember when at home General Safety Always supervise children! Swimming lessons do not replace supervision. When children fall into water unexpectedly, they will panic and not remember how to float or swim. Never leave a child alone near water (e.g., pool, bathtub, bucket with water, etc.) to answer the door bell or the phone, go to the bathroom, do a chore, or to take care of another child. Ignore the phone/doorbell or pick up the child and take him or her with you. Devices (i.e., water wings or bathtub seats) should not be relied upon to keep children afloat and alive, especially if they are left alone. Empty all buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children s reach. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages when swimming and/or wading. Adults and kids over age 13 should learn infant, child and adult CPR.

5 Water Safety Pool and Spa Entrapment Dangers Consider installing a Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS), a device that will automatically shut off a pump if a blockage is detected Never use a pool or spa with a missing or broken drain cover. Be sure a newer, safer drain cover is in place. If someone is entrapped against a drain, cut off the pump immediately. Instead of trying to pull the person away from the powerful suction, pry a hand between the drain and the person s body to break the seal. Plainly mark the location of the electrical cut-off switch for the pool or spa pump. Have a professional regularly inspect your pool or spa for entrapment or entanglement hazards.

6 Water Safety Pool Safety Never leave your children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment. You must put up a fence to separate your house from the pool. Most young children who drown in pools wander out of the house and fall into the pool. Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all 4 sides of the pool. This fence will completely separate the pool from the house and play area of the yard. Use gates that self-close and self-latch, with latches higher than your children s reach. A power safety cover that meets the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) adds to the protection of your children but should not be used in place of the fence between your house and the pool. Even fencing around your pool and using a power safety cover will not prevent all drownings. Keep rescue equipment (such as a shepherd s hook or life preserver) and a telephone by the pool. Do not let your child use air-filled swimming aids because they are not a substitute for approved life vests and can be dangerous. Anyone watching young children around a pool should learn CPR and be able to rescue a child if needed. Stay within an arm s length of your child. Remove all toys from the pool after use so children are not tempted to reach for them. After the children are done swimming, secure the pool so they can t get back into it. Remember, teaching your child how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is safe in water.