North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute
have issued a new report that says drowning deaths are on the rise in North Carolina, and most of these deaths are predictable and preventable.
The report is the result of a study of 189 unintentional drowning deaths of children from 1996 through 2000. For more findings,
click here
.
Researchers found drowning was the second leading cause of accidental deaths in children during this period, and some places were more dangerous than others.
"In 1999, 25 percent of the drownings which occurred in pools were in above ground pools. One year later, the number escalated to 80 percent," says public health specialist Katherine Sanford.
The pool itself is not dangerous. It is the missing accessories that can cause a problem, like equipment required at public pools: life preservers, tow ropes or poles, pool alarms and lifeguards.
Here are some safety tips from the Child Fatality Task Force:
State lawmakers hope
House bill 1065
will help. It would require homeowners and renters with swimming pools or hot tubs to build a fence around the yard. Currently, only three counties have this kind of requirement.
The Swimming Pool Safety Act is now in committee for consideration.
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