The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal Reminds Everyone to Practice Water Safety in and Around Pools

Springfield, Ill- As the summer heat continues in Illinois, pools are a favorite destination for many to cool off. It’s important to follow all posted rules and pay attention to any children when around bodies of water. The number of pools installed in backyards drastically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning adults need to be extra vigilant to protect any children who have access to the water. It is also essential to take proper steps to keep pools secured and restrict access to prevent injuries and drownings from occurring.

“It’s important to keep all gates closed and the area around pools secure when you are not using them to prevent an accident from occurring. If you or your neighbors have children, talk to them about safety in and around pool areas. Let them know the pool is off limits without an adult nearby,” said Acting Illinois State Fire Marshal Dale Simpson.

According to the American Red Cross, 69% of young children who are found drowned or submerged in swimming pools were not expected to be in or at the pool. For children younger than 5, 87% of drowning fatalities happen in home pools or hot tubs.

Each day, approximately two children under 15 years old die from drowning. Children ages 1–4 have the highest drowning rates, and most happen in swimming pools. Drowning can happen anytime, particularly when children gain unsupervised access to pools. Fatal drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death behind motor vehicle crashes for children ages 1–14 according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Pool chemicals, like chlorine, are needed to protect swimmers’ health. However, mishandling pool chemicals can cause serious injuries. Pool chemical injuries lead to about 4,500 U.S. emergency department visits each year, and over one-third of these preventable injuries are in children or teens.

The USA Swimming Foundation, in collaboration with the CPSC’s Pool Safety campaign, between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2019, reported at least 150 children younger than age 15 fatally drowned in swimming pools or spas, which is up by two drownings from 2018. The U.S. Swimming Foundation statistics show formal swimming lessons reduces the likelihood of childhood drowning by 88%.

Below are some simple steps to keep children safer in and around the water:

Take the Pool Safety Pledge by visiting: www.poolsafety.gov/pledge.

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