Failing to keep an eye out at the pool, lake or ocean can be deadly. In 2018, Germany saw 300 drowning deaths and a lifeguard group linked this issue to parents distracted by their cell phones. Drownings can happen in an instant.
“It’s important to remember that kids don’t drown the way people think they drown in movies … where there’s a lot of splashing, waving, calling for help. They just disappear under the water. It happens very quickly and it happens quietly, so if someone’s not paying attention to where are all the kids … it can be tragic,” said Dr. Brian Johnston, chief of pediatrics at Harborview Medical Center.
Summer is dwindling but pools and lakes are still beckoning. Johnston offers safety tips for parents and children.
Downloadable media assets:
- Broadcast soundbites with Brian Johnston (2:05)
- YouTube (2:05)
- Broll, Lake Washington beach (2:16)
- Pool and open water safety soundbite log
scraped from https://www.newswise.com/articles/stay-alert-at-the-pool-beach-or-lake
