Hamad Trauma Center Offers Drowning Prevention Advice

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: To mark the fourth World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, organizations and communities worldwide including the Hamad Injury Prevention Program (HIPP) of Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) Hamad Trauma Center are joining forces to raise awareness about the devastating consequences of drowning and to promote water safety measures.

This important initiative serves as a reminder of the urgent need for collective action to prevent drowning incidents and save lives. Tsoler Sekayan, Program Coordinator of the HIPP, the community outreach arm of Hamad Trauma Center, said:“Water safety is important for all ages, but especially for infants and toddlers. Drowning is a leading cause of injury and death worldwide in children aged between one and four years old. Young children can drown in as little as an inch or two of water, and it can happen quickly and silently.”

Drowning is a silent epidemic that affects communities across the globe, particularly vulnerable groups such as children. Worldwide, an estimated 236,000 people die from drowning every year. It is considered the third-leading cause of unintentional injury and death globally and children, males and individuals with increased access to water are most at risk for drowning.

At home, younger children are more likely to drown in the bathtub or backyard pool. Parents must realize the dangers of leaving young children and babies alone, even for a brief period of time around water.

Here are some recommendations that are proven to improve water safety at home for all families, especially those with young children:

1. Constant supervision- Stay within arm's reach of your children whether they are in bathtub or pool. Bring them with you when you leave the pool even if the lifeguard is present children can drown in as little as one inch of water and in complete silence, so it's very important to keep them within an arm's reach of an adult.

2. Empty tubs, buckets, containers and kids' pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children's reach.

3. Close lids and doors. Keep toilet lids and doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed when not in use.

4. Install fences around home or compound pools. A pool fence should surround all sides of the pool and be at least four feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates.

5. When at the beach or pool, assign a responsible adult to watch all members of your group. This 'watcher' responsibility must be shared in shifts among adults, and it is proven to greatly reduce drowning in children.

6. Ask older children, especially teens, to have a companion when swimming and never swim alone so they can help or call for help when one is at risk.

7. Educate children on water safety. Teach children about water safety rules, including the importance of not running near pools or other water bodies, not diving into shallow water, and not pushing others into the water.

8. Learn CPR and basic water rescue skills. It is important to know how to respond in an emergency without putting yourself at risk.

9. Call 999 for the ambulance service, in the event of a drowning event.

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