ANNE ARUNDEL, Md. — Three children have died in separate drowning incidents in Maryland in less than a week, prompting water safety experts to urge families to take precautions as the July Fourth holiday approaches.
A 2-year-old child drowned Saturday at a home in Brooklyn Park. Less than 24 hours later, another young child was found unresponsive at the bottom of a private pool in Pasadena. Both incidents occurred in Anne Arundel County. Less than a week earlier, a 4-year-old child died after drowning in a residential pool in Harford County.
Lieutenant Matthew Marsiglia of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department said the tragedies underscore the importance of water safety awareness.
Experts share water safety tips ahead of the July Fourth holiday
"We had two tragic accidents this weekend involving children and it does bring to light some of the safety factors we want to highlight not just for this summer but as holidays come up and the temperatures are rising with pool and water safety," Marsiglia said.
Marsiglia said pool owners should take steps to physically secure their pool areas.
"Whenever we talk about that we want to remind people to try to install fencing, self latching gates around their pool area areas. We want to make sure that we keep a life ring, a reach pole or a throwable device nearby the pool or on the boat," Marsiglia said.
Houston Howell, swim director at the Towson YMCA, said early swimming education is one of the most effective tools for preventing drownings.
"We always encourage the younger the kids are and the faster they're in the pool. It's so much easier to get that connection with water being fun and water. Not being you know something they should be afraid of," Howell said.
Howell said even strong swimmers can show warning signs of distress that adults should watch for.
"Watching over kids, especially in the water he should look for them trying to make eye contact with you if their airway is going in and out of the water that's also a big thing and if they're not making any more progress in the water," Howell said.
Marsiglia also warned that the danger of drowning does not always end when a person leaves the water. He said a condition known as secondary drowning can occur after a near-drowning incident.
"If they have been swallowing a lot of water if they're in a near drowning incident, definitely get them to a hospital. Definitely because water can get into the lungs and that's like a secondary drowning. That's after they've been out of the pool so water will collect down in their lungs, and they can't fully take in breaths, which then caused them to suffocate later," Marsiglia said.
With an especially hot week and the July Fourth holiday ahead, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department and swim safety advocates are encouraging families to stay alert around pools, boats, and beaches.
Click here for more swim safety tips from the Anne Arundel County Department of Health
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