NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health is urging families to prioritize water safety as the swimming season gets underway, following a six-year high in accidental pool drownings last year.
12 children ages five and under drowned in pools last year. Health officials are asking everyone to take a safe swimming pledge to protect their families.
The pledge includes:
- Never leaving a child unattended near water and always remaining within arm’s reach
- Designating a water watcher
- Making sure children know how to swim
- Learning CPR and knowing how to use lifesaving equipment
- Ensuring any pool has a proper fence, gate, and safe drain covers, and that portable pool ladders are removed when not in use
“And all of that’s great as long as a person is able to recognize the signs of drowning, and we want to make sure folks are aware,” explained Briana Bill,Virginia Department of Health’s Environmental Health Coordinator. “That drowning doesn’t always look like it does in the movies or on TV. So, it does not include splashing and yelling out for help. Drowning is often very silent, and it can happen very quickly. Drowning can happen in as little as 20 to 60 seconds.”
The Norfolk Department of Public Health is also working to keep swimmers safe at the beach as it begins its summer water testing season.
Health experts are collecting weekly water samples from 10 different spots along Ocean View beaches. Testing takes place every Monday morning, with lab results available by Tuesday afternoons. The weekly testing will run through Labor Day.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Click here to see how we use AI at WTKR News 3.