It Takes Only 60 Seconds To Drown & More Water Safety Facts
There were an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) every year from 2005- to 2014 in the U.S. alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is about ten deaths per day.[slideshow:104404]
For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. More than half of drowning victims treated in the ER require hospitalization or transfer for further care, the CDC says.
These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent vegetative state.
One of the biggest factors in drowning is alcohol. Among adolescents and adults, drinking is involved in up to 70 percent of deaths associated with water recreation. This is because alcohol influences balance, coordination, and judgment, and also because its effects are heightened by sun exposure and heat, the CDC says.
The only certain "cure" for drowning is prevention, and that means always, always, and always supervising kids in any body of water – the bathtub is the site of highest drowning risk – as well as wearing life jackets.