Orange County Fire Rescue Department
Public Information Office
Carl L. Plaugher, Fire Chief

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   

Orange County, Fl., Last week Orange County Firefighters were dispatched to 3 separate tragic drowning incidents. As Orange County Citizens and visitors celebrate the 4th of July, Orange County Firefighter's would like to remind parents and caregivers to take critical steps that will help protect children from drowning hazards in all types of pools.

Parents may think that if their child falls in the water they will hear lots of splashing and screaming and that they will be able to come to the rescue. Many times, children slip under the water silently. Even people near the pool report hearing nothing out of the ordinary.

To reduce the risk of drowning, Orange County Firefighters recommend:

•Install a four-sided, isolation pool-fence with self-closing and self-latching gates around the pool. Layers of protection between your child and the pool, including barriers prevent unsupervised access by young children. If the house forms a side of the barrier, use alarms on doors leading to the pool area or a power safety cover over the pool.
•The fence should be at least 4 feet tall and completely separate the pool from the house and play area of the yard.
•If a child is missing, check the pool or body of water first!
•All parents should learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
•Have rescue equipment and a phone near the pool, it is important to always be prepared for an emergency.
•Install a telephone near the pool. Know how to contact local emergency medical services. Post the emergency number, 911, in an easy-to-see place.
•Keep small children away from buckets containing liquid: 5-gallon industrial containers are a particular danger. Be sure to empty buckets when household chores are done.

Drowning can occur in the few minutes it takes to answer the phone. About 77 percent of the victims had been missing for 5 minutes or less when they were found. Precious time is often wasted looking for missing children anywhere but in the pool. Since every second counts, always look for a missing child in the pool first.  

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