RICHMOND, Va. — Drowning, known as a "fast and silent killer," is the leading cause of accidental death for children aged 1 to 4. It can happen to anyone, from children to strong swimmers at pools, beaches, or even in unexpected situations where swimming is not planned.
“Drowning does not discriminate. It can happen to anyone,” says Chrissy Fandel, who oversees drowning prevention for the YMCA.
Fandel emphasizes the importance of supervision, saying, “If there is water, you need to make sure that you have an extra layer of supervision.”
The YMCA teaches that water safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Supervisors should always be vigilant and within two seconds of any child in the water, ideally phone-free. Relying solely on lifeguards is not advisable.
“The lifeguard's job is to watch everyone. Your job is to watch your family, your children,” Fandel states. “If we have multiple layers of people supervising the water, we're going to have safer water spaces. We're going to prevent drownings.”
Survival swim skills are essential at any age. Parents are urged to assess their child’s abilities before supervision. Key questions include: Has the child taken swim lessons? Can they float, tread water, or perform a basic front crawl?
“It’s crucial for them to understand your expectations of supervision around the water and whether a child needs a life jacket,” Fandel advises.
Safety tools such as pool barriers, fences, and alarms can help prevent accidents, but they are no substitute for active supervision.
“You have to be mindful of your environment. You have to be safe wherever you are. You have to have layers of safety,” Fandel adds.
With a few smart safety steps, pool days can remain fun and safe all summer long.
“All of these drownings for our youth at these ages are 100% preventable with those mechanisms in place,” Fandel affirms.
Find a list of resources below:
- SwimRVA's Drownproof Initiative
- Swim lessons through YMCA of Greater Richmond
- Survival Swim's 'Swim Float Survive' program
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