Skip Global navigation and goto content

It's a New Day in Public Health.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

Skip MegaMenu and goto content
Left navigation requires javascript to be enabled in your browser.

Drowning Prevention

Environmental Health

In 2008, 71% of drownings occurred in residential swimming pools. It is a silent killer and can happen very quickly. Drowning prevention is very important by following the following in layers:

Layer 1: Supervision: This is the first and most crucial layer of protection.

This means that someone is always actively supervising when anyone is swimming in a pool or other body of water.

Layer 2: Barriers: A child should not be able to enter a pool area unless with a parent/guardian.

Barriers should physically block a child from entering a pool area. It is also important to avoid drain entrapments.

Layer 3:  Emergency Preparedness: The moment a child stops breathing there is a small amount of time in which first-aid/CPR can be done, but only if someone knows what to do.

Even if you are not a parent, it is important to learn CPR. The techniques are easy to learn and can mean the difference between life and death.

It is also important to have a phone nearby to call 911 immediately.

For more information on drowning prevention, visit WaterSmartFL.