Swimming, pools, and equipment caused more than 155,000 injuries in 2021, and the CDC reports that approximately 4,000 people drown each year. Taking the following steps can reduce swimming pool injuries and deaths:
Awareness - Ensure you know about medical conditions that could pose a risk, such as seizure disorders, and any medications swimmers take that could impair their ability to swim safely.
Ensure users know how to swim - Many people overestimate their swimming skills, while the number of people who can’t swim and those who lack sufficient skills to swim safely is 17% and 44%, respectively.
Install barriers - Keep people from accessing pools without supervision by installing a fence and gate.
Restrict alcohol consumption - Excessive alcohol intake can impair judgment and response times. When people consume alcohol and spend time in the sun, their risk of dehydration increases. Since dehydration can cause dizziness and fatigue, consuming alcohol while swimming on a hot summer day increases the risk of drowning.
Supervision - Ensure children aren’t near or in a pool without adequate supervision. Public pools should have trained lifeguards on duty.