State well being officers push secure swimming pledge after younger baby drownings rise in 2025

After pool drownings of kids 5 and below reached a five-year excessive final yr in Virginia, state well being officers are urging households to take a “safe swimming pledge” as swimming pools open for the season.

In 2025, there have been 12 accidental drownings of kids aged 5 and below in Virginia — greater than the 9 reported over the prior three years: three in 2024, two in 2023 and 4 in 2022. Virginia reported 473 drownings in all our bodies of water between 2020 and 2024.

Briana Bill, an environmental well being coordinator with the Virginia Department of Health, informed ALXnow a number of the drownings occurred at residence advanced swimming pools and yard swimming pools. She says it will probably take simply 20 to 60 seconds for an individual to drown.

“Families should know that drowning does not look dramatic like it does in the movies or on TV. It’s not splashing, and there’s not a lot of yelling,” Bill stated. “Drowning is often very quiet, and it happens quickly. So what happens is a person, when their body recognizes the fact that they are about to go under the water, it goes into an instinctive drowning response, and it tries to make them push themselves out of the water, and what it kind of looks like is someone climbing a ladder so they’re vertical in the water.”

VDH’s safe swimming pledge asks residents to by no means go away youngsters unattended close to water, designate a water watcher freed from distractions when youngsters are swimming, guarantee youngsters know how one can swim, study CPR and how one can use lifesaving gadgets comparable to throw rings and reaching poles, and guarantee non-public swimming pools have correct fences, gates, secure drain covers and transportable ladders which might be eliminated when not in use.

“We all know it’s pretty hot out there, and one of the best ways to cool off is to get wet,” Bill stated. “Whether you’re going to the pool or you’re going to the lake or the river or the ocean, while those things can be quite enjoyable, they also present a lot of hazards, especially if you have small children in tow.”

Pools open to the general public and at residence complexes and swim golf equipment, in addition to public seashores, usually have lifeguards on responsibility in the course of the summer time. While lifeguards are educated to reply to emergencies, Bill urges mother and father to not rely solely on lifeguards to stop drownings. She says mother and father who observe their baby in misery can notify a lifeguard for assist.

“There might be one or two lifeguards observing a very large area with a lot of people, and they’re human, just like the rest of us,” Bill stated. “They might not be able to see every instance. They also don’t know your child like you do, right? So they don’t know their limitations, they don’t know their ways of playing. So you, as a parent, might be able to dial in on an issue faster.”

Bill stresses the significance of the supervising grownup remaining freed from distractions.

“They are actively engaged in scanning the pool. They are looking at the pool bottom to make sure no one’s there that’s not responsive on the bottom of the pool,” Bill stated. “They’re actively looking for any kind of children that might be in distress, and they’re making eye contact with the kids to make sure everyone is doing okay, and they are not engaging in conversation with other folks, they’re not reading books, they’re not getting up to leave.”

According to Bill, inside tubes and arm floaties are usually not Coast Guard-approved gadgets for protecting one’s head above water in an emergency. Families ought to search for life jackets with a Coast Guard approval label for higher safety.

In Alexandria, swimming pools are usually not the one hazard for kids — folks additionally get near the Potomac River when visiting town’s waterfront parks. Bill says making certain members of the family know how one can swim and understanding the place rescue gear is positioned are important precautions if somebody falls within the water.

“If you’re on the waterfront, are there rescue tubes, are there throw rings, are there reaching poles? If there are, where are they? How far might they reach?” Bill stated. “Keeping an eye on the water, keeping an eye on the edge, avoiding roughhousing around that edge. I’d say just being aware of each other and looking out for each other would be essential.”

Bill additionally recommends being conscious of harmful currents. In rivers, she says currents can grow to be stronger after latest rainfall and will comprise submerged rocks and bushes that swimmers can get caught on. At seashores, she recommends following posted warnings about currents and staying in designated swim areas.

If a drowning sufferer is pulled from the water and never respiratory, CPR is advisable. Bill says the individual ought to nonetheless go to the hospital to be evaluated even when rescue breaths revive them.

“Another family activity they can do together is first aid and CPR, and during CPR classes, you learn how to use an AED,” Bill stated. “So, knowing what those are and how to do it is essential for families.”

Opening weekend hours for public swimming pools in Alexandria are:

Memorial Pool at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe St.)
Perfect for households with younger youngsters, this smaller pool incorporates a seashore entry and therapeutic-friendly facilities. Free parking obtainable onsite.

Opening Weekend Hours:

• May 23–25: 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

Warwick Pool (3301 Landover St.)
Features a six-lane lap pool, accessible ramp, seashore entry, and shallow-depth design nice for all ages. Playground positioned close by.

Opening Weekend Hours:

• May 23–May 24: 11 a.m.–5:45 p.m.
• May 25: 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

Old Town Pool (1609 Cameron St.)
Enjoy a big lap pool, diving nicely, and a close-by picnic space, playground, and courts for a full day of enjoyable. Note: the smaller coaching pool can be closed for the 2026 season.

Opening Weekend Hours:

• May 23–24: Noon–7:45 p.m.
• May 25: 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

Great Waves Waterpark (4001 Eisenhower Avenue)
Featuring seven slides, a wave pool, play pool, splash pad and extra.

Opening Weekend Hours:

May 23 – 25 (Memorial Day Weekend) Saturday – Monday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.