Days before the summer began, we published this complete entry oriented to the prevention of drowning by immersion, we were motivated by the concern about the drowning of a seven-year-old boy when he was playing with his friends in a community pool.
With the arrival of the first heats, we feel obliged to warn that fathers and mothers you must be very careful with water, because it is an ideal way for children to have fun, but as humans it is alien to us (you know, we have legs, not fins); and this is the reason that safety is a priority at bath time. As an example of this interest, we remember this Decalogue for Child Safety in swimming pools. Now the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, recommends measures to prevent drowning and serious injuries in aquatic environments, and avoid situations that may endanger health and contribute to the protection of citizens so that they can enjoy summer water activities.
According to data from the National Statistics Institute, during the year 2011, 147 children under nine years of age were at risk of drowning.
Enjoy the water and avoid risks
In the Guide with comic format aimed at children and responsible adults, the Ministry warns of the risks of suffering injuries in different aquatic environments, and recommend safety behaviors to adopt to avoid them.
Security measures to remember
Drowning occurs quickly and quietly, most of the time the victim lost sight of only a few minutes.
Many drownings occur in the familiar surroundings: bathtubs, private pools and inflatable pools. A baby can drown in 30 centimeters deep.
The best security measure in private pools is the perimeter fencing of the pool, isolating it from the house and with a height of 1.2 meters high and that it is not possible to climb.
Children should notify parents, caregivers when they go into the water and always take a bath.
Recommendations for everyone when bathing
Choose safe places to bathe and watched by lifeguards
Watch children at all times when they are in the water or playing near it.
This responsibility is not delegated to an older child.
Inflatable floats are not recommended, in case of not knowing how to swim, it is best to wear a life jacket to bathe or practice water sports.
The meaning of the flags will always be respected on the beach
Alcohol consumption before bathing decreases the ability to react to a danger Or it can lead to adopting behaviors that could put our health at risk.
Bathing at night is very dangerous, if something happens nobody sees the victim.
Head down from a great height, in shallow places or without knowing if there is an obstacle in the background, can cause very serious injuries.
If we are tired, or feel cold, it is better to get out of the water right away.
Check the water temperature, and wait two hours after eating, to avoid a hydrocution
The Ministry wants to make a special appeal to citizens to avoid diving from high altitude, balconies or bridges as it is the cause of head injuries, spinal injuries and even death. The figures are not to be taken as a joke, because during 2011, 473 people died in Spain as a result of a serious injury in an aquatic environment.
