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Home My WebLink AboutWater Safety 2025 PresentationWater Safety Craig Covey – Division Chief - OCFA Division 1 OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor What is Drowning? https://youtu.be/hw5eefaviJQ OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor What is Drowning? ”The process of respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid”. - World Health Organization Drowning Outcomes: •Fatal •Non-fatal OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Drowning Risk Factors •Gender •Ethnicity •Age •Lack of Supervision •Lack of Barriers •Swimming Ability •Special Needs OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor 2024 Orange County Drowning Statistics Did You Know? In 2024, the total number of drownings in Orange County was 111, up from 104 in 2023 and even with 111 in 2022 Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5. Children can drown in as little as two inches of water! OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Age Group Breakdown 2024 TOTAL INCIDENTS FATAL INCIDENTS NON- FATAL INCIDENTS 0 - 4 Yr. Old Victims 45 5 40 5 - 14 Yr. Old Victims 9 1 8 15 - 19 Yr. Old Victims 3 1 2 20 - 34 Yr. Old Victims 10 9 1 35 - 64 Yr. Old Victims 22 16 6 65+ Yr. Old Victims 22 20 2 Unknown 0 0 0 Total 111 52 59 Orange County Statistics OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Orange County Statistics 2024 Drowning Factors: •Lapse in supervision •Lack of Barriers •Medical Issues •Intoxication OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor 2025 Orange County Drowning Statistics 2025 Orange County Drowning Statistics Incident Count 2025 Total Incidents 27 Fatal Incidents 12 Non-Fatal Incidents 15 Incidents involving children under age 5 8 0 Fatal 8 Non- Fatal Incidents involving adults age 50 & older 12 10 Fatal 2 Non- Fatal OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Time is Important TIME ACTION 20 Seconds Child can become fully submerged in water 30 Seconds Infant can lose consciousness 60 Seconds Adult can become fully submerged in water 2 Minutes Child can lose consciousness 5 Minutes Brain can suffer irreparable damage 10 Minutes Brain death can occur If a child is missing, always check the water first! OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor ABCs of Water Safety OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Active Adult Supervision Children are within eyesight and reach of the person responsible for their safety. Assign a “Water Watcher” •Sober adult •Able to swim •Watches the water at all times •Avoids social activities, phone calls, reading, cooking, and any other distractions •Rotate every 15-20 mins if possible According to the CDC, 88% of children who drown are under some form of “supervision” OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Barriers •Isolate pool/spa from home and play areas •Install multiple barriers for protection such as safety covers, self-closing fences, self-latching gates, gate alarms, door alarms, and motion - detection devices •Maintain and check regularly •New Technology 2017 Pool Safety Act now requires 2 of 7 safety features OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Classes •Learn to swim •Recreational vs. Survival Lessons •Teach and enforce pool safety rules •Learn CPR/AED •Take a first aid class •Learn and practice rescue techniques OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Pool Safety •Most drownings in children ages 1-4 are occur in pools •69% of drownings of children under the age of 5, they were not expected to be in or near the water •80% of child drownings, the child was last seen safe in the home 5 minutes prior to being found in the pool •66% of clinicians don’t know that drowning deaths are more common than toxic ingestions or firearms There is NO such thing as a SAFE pool OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Drain Safety •Keep children away to avoid entrapment and entanglement – hair, jewelry, clothing •Keep long hair tied back and remove dangling earrings/necklaces •Install compliant safety drain covers •Install automatic shut-off pump systems •Know where the pool and spa pump switch is and how to turn it on and off Photo courtesy of How Stuff Works OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Flotation Devices Life vests are recommended for anyone who cannot swim or is not a strong swimmer. •U.S. Coast Guard approved •Specific to age and weight •Comfortably snug •Zippers vs Buckles In open water, life vests are for everyone! Flotation devices are not a substitute for active adult supervision! OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Additional Water Sources Bathtubs Open Water Boating OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Drowning Myths Drowning is silent Children and adults drown without a sound MYTH REALITY If a person is drowning:If a person is drowning: They will be screaming for help They will be gasping to breathe Their arms will be up and waving Their arms will be underwater moving to try and keep afloat They will be splashing in the water They will be bobbing in the water with their head tilted back and mouth at water level OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Top 10 Pool/Water Safety Tips 1.LEARN TO SWIM 2.Always swim with a buddy or near a lifeguard 3.Supervise children closely – “Water Watcher” - NO DISTRACTIONS 4.Wear a life jacket 5.Be aware of hazards 6.Use layers of protection - Install mandated pool safety equipment 7.Stay away from drains 8.Know what to do in a water emergency - How to help, how to call 911, and how to provide CPR 9.Don’t enter head first; look before you leap or dive 10.Swim sober OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Remember… Water is the great equalizer…..it does not discriminate Drowning is FAST Drowning is SILENT Drowning is PREVENTABLE Just because you can SWIM, doesn’t mean you can’t SINK OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Public Safety Message https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTkhm4NU8Cg OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor Drowning – are you watching? OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor For more information, visit ocfa.org or call 714 -573 -6200 Never swim alone and always watch the water! OCFA Division 1 - Proudly serving the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Midway City, and Rossmoor