SAFETY EXPERT TROOPER STEVE. THIS IS NEWS. 6 AT 09:00AM GETTING RESULTS.
>> JULIE: SPRING BREAK IS NEXT
WEEK. AND SINCE FLORIDA HAS
OBVIOUSLY DECIDED MAYBE WINTER
IS OVER, THAT MEANS THERE’S A
GOOD CHANCE KIDS COULD BE IN
POOLS OR AT THE BEACH. SO IT
ISN’T ALWAYS A GREAT IDEA TO
TALK WATER, SAFETY AND
DROWNING PREVENTION MORNING
ANCHOR AND HEALTH REPORTER
KIRSTIN O’CONNOR IS ON
ASSIGNMENT. SO BRIDGETT
ELLISON. SHE IS GOING TO BE
STANDING BY NOW TO ASK A WHAT
YOU NEED TO KNOW, ESPECIALLY
AS WE GEAR IN TO THOSE WARMER
MONTHS HERE IN FLORIDA, WHERE
SEEMS LIKE WATER IS JUST ABOUT
EVERYWHERE. YEAH, ON SPRING
BREAK DOES START FOR A LOT OF
CENTRAL FLORIDA SCHOOLS ON
FRIDAY. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
ALREADY MAKING THOSE PLANS.
AND IT REALLY IS THIS TIME OF
YEAR WHEN WE START TO TALK
ABOUT ASK A DOCTOR IS
SPONSORED BY CAN BE PRIMARY
CARE PROCEEDINGS.
>> CANDACE: ALL RIGHT. WELL,
KIRSTIN IS OUT TODAY AND I’M
HERE TO ASK A DOCTOR ABOUT
DROWNING NOW WHEN IT COMES TO
DROWNING SEVERAL 100 CHILDREN
UNFORTUNATELY DROWN EACH YEAR
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
IT USUALLY HAPPENS DURING THE
SUMMER. BUT WITH THE WARMER
WEATHER AND PULLS OPEN YEAR
ROUND, TYPICALLY AROUND
FLORIDA, WE RUN THAT RISK ALL
THE TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT
COMES TO BREAK TIMES IN
VACATION TIMES AS WELL. DOCTOR
DON PLUMLEE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR
OF PEDIATRIC TRAUMA, ARNOLD
PALMER HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN
JOINS US. THANK YOU FOR TAKING
TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE
TO COME BY AND TALK ABOUT
THIS. THANKS FOR HAVING US
THIS MORNING. WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT DROWNING, IT’S TYPICALLY
SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY
HAPPEN ANYWHERE. WE CALL IT A
SILENT KILLER. WHY IS THAT?
>> IT JUST IT CAN HAPPEN SO
QUICKLY WHEN SO MUCH IT JUST
TAKES A MOMENTARY LAPSE AND
LOOKING AWAY OR SOMETHING. IT
WAS A CRAZY WEEKEND. WE HAD
SHERIFF MINA ACTUALLY TWEETED
ON SUNDAY, ORANGE COUNTY
SHERIFFS AND THE 4 DROWNINGS
ON SUNDAY. AND SO IT JUST IS
THAT TIME OF YEAR THE WEATHER
IS WARM. THE TOURISTS ARE IN
TOWN. PEOPLE ARE GETTING BACK
IN THE WATER, THE POOL, THE
WATER PARKS AND WHAT NOT TIME.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE AWARE OF
OUR SURROUNDINGS AND REALLY
LOOK OUT FROM A SMALL NUMBER
OF CHILDREN IN THIS SITUATION.
>> AND WHEN IT COMES TO YOU
KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
WARNINGS OR SOME OF THE
GUIDELINES THAT YOU LIKE TO
GIVE PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE YOUNGER SWIMMERS OR
NEWER SWIMMERS. SO
UNFORTUNATE, MOST COMMON CHILD
TO DROWN WOULD LIKE THE ONE TO
4 AGE GROUP. THE TODDLERS THAT
OTHER KIDS CAN DROWN. BUT
THAT’S THE MOST COMMON.
>> AND SO WE LIKE TO TEACH IS
THE ABC’S IS AS EASY TO
REMEMBER. AS FOR ADULT
SUPERVISION, NOTHING REPLACES
THAT. IS IT? SOMEONE HAS TO BE
AWARE OF KIDS IN THE WATER. WE
RECOMMEND IF YOU HAVE A PARTY
OR A BIRTHDAY PARTY OR
SOMETHING, SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE
MUCH LIKE A DESIGNATED DRIVER
HAVE A DESIGNATED POOL
WATCHING THAT. YOU’RE GOING TO
PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN. YOU’RE
NOT DRINKING. YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE AND MAYBE BREAK IT
UP. SO NOT ONE PERSON’S THERE
FOR 4 HOURS TAKE TURNS. SO
ADULT SUPERVISION BE AS
BARRIERS. SO POOL FENCES, SELF
LATCHING DOORS, ALARMS ON YOUR
DOOR STOUT SIDE AND THEN SEE
IS CLASSES AND EVERYBODY
THAT’S AROUND A POOL SHOULD
KNOW HOW TO CALL 9-1-1. IT’S
GRANDMA, GRANDPA. OTHER KIDS
TO KNOW CPR, BASIC CPR? AND
SWIM CLASSES FOR THE KIDS. NOW
IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR AS
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT CAMPS AND
WHATNOT AS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY, TEACH YOUR
CHILDREN TO SWIM. WE LIVE IN
FLORIDA WERE SURROUNDED BY
WATER AND IS PREGNANT.
DROWNING PREVENTABLE. IF YOU
WANT TO SWIM. YOU SHOULD BE
OK. SO WE REALLY RECOMMEND IT.
AND THEN WE THROUGH INDY AT
THE UN FOR DEVICES. YOUR POOL
SHOULD HAVE A SHEPHERD’S HOOK.
A LIFE PRESERVER, THINGS LIKE
THAT. YOU KIDS IN BOATS, LIFE
PRESERVER, SOME THINGS TO BE
PREVENTED HIM IN THAT WAY.
>> BRIDGETT: LET’S TALK ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES
PEOPLE GO ON VACATION. MAYBE
YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN AIR BNB
ARBOR. BO AND MAYBE HAS A POOL
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME
PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY CAN’T AND
ACCIDENTS CAN HAPPEN TO. BUT
PEOPLE SOMETIMES CAN LET THEIR
GUARDS DOWN THE SITUATIONS.
YOU KNOW, THERE’S A GREAT
POINT. WE WE SEE A BIG CLUSTER
OF DROWNINGS COMING KIND OF
FROM THE TOURIST AREA.
>> WHETHER THE HOTEL’S RENTALS
IN ONE NIGHT AND PEOPLE ARE
OUT OF THEIR ELEMENT. YOU
DON’T HAVE A POOL AT HOME AND
YOU COME ON VACATION HAVE A
POOL. SO BE EXTRA EXTRA WARY
OF THAT IN THOSE IN THOSE
AREAS ARE THERE. YOU KNOW, WE
TALKED ABOUT THE FENCES. ARE
THERE ANY SORT THINGS ON THE
MARKET FOR WHEN YOU’RE ON, YOU
KNOW, TRAVELING VERSUS, YOU
KNOW, LIKE WHEN YOU GET A
FENCE INSTALLED, THAT’S KIND
OF PERMANENT. BUT I THINK YOU
LOOK FOR IF YOU’RE GOING TO
RENT A HOME. SO POOLS, USUALLY
HOTEL POOL SEIZURE OF A
LIFEGUARD OR SELF LATCHING
GATE. IF YOU’RE IN THE HOME,
YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU NEED TO
SPEAK TO THE OWNER OF THE
RENTAL AGENCY AND MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE LITTLE CHILDREN. AND
THAT’S PART OF THE GOOD POINT.
THERE. AND EVEN THE REFRESHER
LESSONS ARE IMPORTANT, TOO.
FOR THOSE WHO, YOU KNOW, MY
CHILDREN LEARN TO SWIM.
>> BRIDGETT: LAST YEAR PRETTY
WELL, SOUTHWEST AQUATIC. BUT
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU
HAVE TO KEEP UP. YOU HAVE TO
DO THE MAINTENANCE AND WE’RE
COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC’S.
A LOT OF KIDS MISSED LESSONS
LAST YEAR THAT SOME WE SAW
LAST. WE’RE GOING TO SEE AGAIN
THIS SUMMER IS.
>> WHERE KIDS WOULD HAVE
SWIMMING LESSONS EVERY SUMMER.
THE LAST 2 YEARS. WE REALLY
HAVEN’T HAD THAT. SO WE’RE
EXPECTING A BIG UPSWING AND
AGAINST PREVENTABLE. PLEASE
WATCH YOUR KIDS AND GET
LESSONS AND LET’S HAVE A SAFE
SUMMER. I DID NOT LEARN TO
SWIM UNTIL I WAS ABOUT. 21.