It can happen in a matter of moments.
In the short time it takes to grab a snack or have a telephone conversation, an unsupervised child in a pool, lake or other body of water can drown, said local health officials.
At Red Bank Community Pool, representatives from T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital and Choo Choo Diving and Aquatic Center gathered Wednesday to share child drowning prevention tips and recognize Gov. Phil Bredesen’s “Water Safety Day.”
“Our No. 1 thing is supervision, supervision, supervision,” said Cindy Jackson, coordinator of T.C. Thompson’s Safe & Sound program and Safe Kids of Greater Chattanooga. “Active supervision means not talking on the cell phone, not talking with other adults, not being otherwise distracted.”
Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Motor vehicle injuries are first.