TRENTON, NEW JERSEY – In the wake of two drownings and two near drownings of toddlers in the past ten days, Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn L. Harris, at an emergency press conference to bring public attention to the issue of child drownings in New Jersey, today urged parents and caregivers everywhere to be vigilant when children are near water.

Speaking poolside at Trenton’s Cooper Municipal Swimming Pool on Wednesday, Harris continued, “We lost two, and almost lost another two, since the beginning of this month.  It is imperative that all of us, especially adults, wake up to the reality that we can ‘Never -- not even for a minute -- leave a child unattended near water… whether a swimming pool, wading pool, bathtub, bucket of water, stream, pond, or any natural body of water.”

In New Jersey, so far in 2003, six young children have drowned. Three children drowned in swimming pools or lakes, two children drowned in buckets and one child drowned in a bathtub.  A toddler also died after falling off a potty seat in a bathroom.  And also over July 4^th weekend, a ten-month-old infant drowned in a bathtub in the Bronx. All happened within minutes of the parent or adult supervisors looking away or leaving the area. 

In checking over the past five years’ 123 child deaths due to abuse or neglect, nine were drownings… which is seven and a half percent.  Hence, Commissioner Harris has launched the public awareness campaign to immediately drive home basic safety tips for children around water.  She issued these water safety tips for recreational swimming and announced resources that are posted on the Human Services website – www.state.nj.us/humanservices.

1.     Never leave a child alone around water – Not Even For A Minute!

2.     Always have an ADULT or responsible older teenage child supervising young swimmers.

3.     Never use substitutes for supervision – flotation devices and inflatable toys are not a substitute for supervision.

4.     Teach your child to swim at an early age.

5.     Obey all posted or verbal rules, warning signs and other safety signs.

6.     Don’t mix alcohol and supervision of children near water.

7.     Always drain and store in an upright position all plastic or blow-up wading pools after each use.

8.     Enclose pool completely with self-locking, self-closing, fence with vertical bars and do not leave furniture around that children can use to climb over fence.

9.     Be sure to remove pool covers completely reducing risk of children getting caught underneath.

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related deaths among children ages 1-14; and among children ages 1 to 4, most drownings occur in residential swimming pools.  Most children who drowned in pools had been out of sight for less than five minutes and had last been seen in the home or out of the water.

Joining her poolside was Dr. Anthony D’Urso, Supervising Psychologist at Audrey Hepburn Children’s House, Northern Regional Child Abuse Diagnostic Center, who chairs the NJ Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board.  Dr. D’Urso emphasized household safety around water.

“Never leave a child alone in a bathroom.   The two main danger areas for infant drownings in the United States are in bathtubs and household buckets.  And you might as well include toilets,” cautioned D’Urso.  “Put rubber skid-proof mats in the bathtub so babies do not slip under the bath water, and do not have the tub water more than three or four inches deep.  And don’t trust your younger children to watch a baby or toddler in the tub while you run to answer the phone.  An infant can drown in one half inch of water.”

“Your best bet is to keep the bathroom door locked so that curious toddlers cannot wander into that dangerous room while you’re busy doing dishes or watching TV in another room,” said D’Urso.

Representatives of the NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect also attended the press conference, along with Trenton’s Director of Recreation, Natural Resources and Culture, Francis Blanca, and Trenton Pool Coordinator Mark Bailey.

The Bottom Line:

Never – Not Even For a Minute – Leave Children Unattended Near Water!!!