Last year, 10 children aged under four died in water accidents in
the UK. In a bid to try and reduce this figure, a short film called The
Danger Age has been produced by bereavement counsellor Jenni Thomas, in consultation with families who've lost children to drowning.
http://www.itv.com/goodmorningbritain/news/warning-video-for-the-danger-age
What factors influence drowning risk?
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Lack of Swimming Ability: Many adults and children report that they can’t swim. Research has shown that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children aged 1 to 4 years
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No Swimming pool alarms on the pool: Every swimming pool should have a pool alarm to prevent unwanted entry into the water. Pool Alarms save lives every year by sounding an alarm when a child or even a dog (or other medium sized pet) gets into your swimming pool. Think "safety first"
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Lack of Barriers: Barriers, such as pool fencing, prevent young children from gaining access to the pool area without caregivers’ awareness.11 A four-sided isolation fence (separating the pool area from the house and yard) reduces a child’s risk of drowning 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing.
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Lack of Close Supervision: Drowning can happen quickly and quietly anywhere there is water (such as bathtubs, swimming pools, buckets), and even in the presence of lifeguards.
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Location: People of different ages drown in different locations. For example, most children ages 1-4 drown in home swimming pools.2 The percentage of drownings in natural water settings, including lakes, rivers and oceans, increases with age.2 More than half of fatal and nonfatal drownings among those 15 years and older (57% and 57% respectively) occurred in natural water settings.
