Florida leads the country in drowning deaths of children ages 1–4. In an effort to help reduce drowning among Florida’s children, the Florida Keys Health StartCoalition, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County, would like to encourage everyone with a pool to participate in our new drowning prevention efforts.  Drowning can be a silent catastrophe, one that can happen in the few minutes it takes for a parent to assist another child or search for a forgotten item.

Do you have all the recommended layers of protection for drowning prevention in place at your pool? 

Layer 1, Supervision: Supervision, the first and most crucial layer of protection, means someone is always actively watching when a child is in the pool.

Layer 2, Barriers: A child should never be able to enter the pool area unaccompanied by a guardian. Barriers physically block a child from the pool.

Layer 3, Emergency Preparedness: The moment a child stops breathing there is a small, precious window of time in which resuscitation may occur, but only if someone knows what to do. It’s important that parents and employees near pools learn CPR. The techniques are easy to learn and can mean the difference between life and death. Plus, it is critical to have a phone nearby and immediately call 911.

In 2016, we developed a drowning prevention sign to help spread awareness of the risk. The signs were posted at public beaches and pools throughout Monroe County. We have had great feedback from the community and are now making them available for purchase at public or private pools. The signs are 16” x 12” marine grade aluminum and will be available for you to order online and then pickup in Tavernier, Marathon or Key West. Each sign is $30, provided to you at cost. If you would like them mailed, shipping will be an additional $10 per sign. In addition to these signs, we have other, free water safety materials available in English or Spanish.  The designated Water Watcher lanyards are a great, wearable reminder about the first layer of protection, supervision, to the adult ‘in charge’ at pool parties.

Monroe County businesses with pools should watch for our mailing about purchasing the signs during the week of August 21.  Anyone seeking more information or to purchase a sign may consult KeysHealthyStart.org or call/text/email Alanna Dixon at 305‑293‑8424 or [email protected]. For more online resources, go to watersmartfl.com or poolsafely.gov, where you can order free water safety resources.