Virginia well being officers urge water security as swimming season begins

NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health is urging households to prioritize water security because the swimming season will get underway, following a six-year excessive in unintended pool drownings final yr.

12 youngsters ages 5 and beneath drowned in swimming pools last year. Health officers are asking everybody to take a safe swimming pledge to guard their households.

The pledge contains:

• Never leaving a toddler unattended close to water and all the time remaining inside arm’s attain
• Designating a water watcher
• Making positive youngsters know learn how to swim
• Learning CPR and figuring out learn how to use lifesaving tools
• Ensuring any pool has a correct fence, gate, and protected drain covers, and that moveable pool ladders are eliminated when not in use

“And all of that’s great as long as a person is able to recognize the signs of drowning, and we want to make sure folks are aware,” defined Briana Bill,Virginia Department of Health’s Environmental Health Coordinator. “That drowning doesn’t always look like it does in the movies or on TV. So, it does not include splashing and yelling out for help. Drowning is often very silent, and it can happen very quickly. Drowning can happen in as little as 20 to 60 seconds.”

The Norfolk Department of Public Health can also be working to maintain swimmers protected on the seashore because it begins its summer season water testing season.

Health consultants are accumulating weekly water samples from 10 totally different spots alongside Ocean View seashores. Testing takes place each Monday morning, with lab results obtainable by Tuesday afternoons. The weekly testing will run via Labor Day.

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