Drowning is quick and silent. A child can drown in less than one minute in as little as one inch of water.

There is usually no warning, such as screams or splashing. We recommend having multiple layers of water safety protection:

• Make sure there is an isolation fence around the pool, separating the pool from the house and the surrounding yard. It should be at least 4 feet high, with self-latching and self-locking doors.
• Install secondary barriers such as house door alarms, water disturbance alarms and child immersion alarms.
• Make sure kids have constant supervision when they’re in or around water. Designate at least one adult “water watcher” at all times. If you’re with a group, have adults take turns.
• Teach kids survival swimming skills.
• Kids that are not strong swimmers should wear US Coast Guard-approved, well-fitting life jackets. (But be aware they don’t make your child drown-proof — still keep constant watch.)
• Set water safety rules for the whole family — for example, kids should never swim alone, inexperienced swimmers should stay in water less than chest deep, don’t dive into water less than 9 feet deep, stay away from pool drains, pipes and other openings, etc.
• Parents and caregivers should learn bystander CPR.
• Swimming lessons and life jackets do not replace supervision. Always watch kids in and around water. Drowning is swift and silent — it can happen in less than a minute.
• All pools should have a safety reaching device like a shepherd’s crook.
• Keep a phone nearby so you can quickly call 911 in an emergency.
• Remember, kids can drown in just an inch of water and it happens swiftly and silently — drain inflatable pools and coolers after each use.
• Ensure pools and spas have compliant drain covers, and are kept in working order.