KING COUNTY, WA - As beaches and outdoor pools open for the summer, Public Health - Seattle & King County reminds residents to ensure themselves a safe and fun outdoor swimming season by knowing how to prevent drownings.

"Public Health has already investigated several local drownings and near drownings this year. In these cases, children who didn't swim very well were left alone and unsupervised," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "We need to stay vigilant with kids since they can quickly submerge and stop breathing."

Water safety guidelines

• By law, children under 12 years of age are required to wear a lifejacket on boats less than 19 feet in length. Nonetheless, it is a good idea for all children to wear a lifejacket on any boat where there is a chance that they may fall in the water.
  
  
• Wear a lifejacket when swimming in open water away from lifeguards. Wear a lifejacket while in small boats, rafting, inner tubing, water skiing or on a personal watercraft.
  
  
• Make sure that adults supervise and are within reach of their children when swimming. Swim in beaches with lifeguards. Lack of supervision is the most common cause of drowning.
  
  
• By law, all outdoor pools must have a locked fence at least five feet high. On a daily basis, pool operators and patrons should make sure to check that the gates and latches are working properly.
  
  
• Learn how to swim, and teach children to swim with a buddy and in lifeguarded areas. Always use a lifejacket when swimming in non-lifeguarded areas.
  
  
• Drowning statistics show that "midnight swims" and swimming in unsupervised areas are especially dangerous for young people ages 12 to 24. Avoid these risky situations.
  
  
• Alcohol and water do not mix. Alcohol is a major contributing factor in many drowning deaths.
  
  
• Learn what to do in an emergency (for example, take a CPR class).

"Despite recent improvements, drowning is still a leading cause of unintentional injury death among children," said Tony Gomez, Manager for Violence and Injury Prevention at Public Health. "Let's prevent these tragic situations."