Anne Arundel fire officials urge families to review pool safety after 2 children drowned
Anne Arundel County fire officials are urging families to review pool safety after two young children drowned in separate residential pools last weekend.
The first incident happened on Saturday in a community in Brooklyn Park. Anne Arundel County firefighters responded to a report of a child pulled from a residential pool. A young boy was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
The following day, crews responded to another residential pool in the Pasadena area. A second young boy was taken to a hospital but did not survive.
Taking safety precautions at pools
In the wake of the two drownings, fire officials are reminding families that drowning is often quick and silent.
"Once that person starts taking on water and is starting to go under, the clock starts at that point, so it can happen really rapidly," said Lt. Matthew Marsiglia, with the Anne Arundel County Fire Department.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4.
The agency recommends several layers of protection to help prevent drownings, including:
- Constant, undistracted adult supervision around water
- Four-sided fencing with self-latching gates around pools
- Enrolling children in age-appropriate swimming lessons
- Learning CPR
- Using U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets for inexperienced swimmers around open water
Marsiglia also recommends keeping pool safety equipment nearby.
"Look into swim classes for your children, install those self-latching gates, have those reach-poles, throwable devices close by, all those things can go a long way," he said.
Fire officials say taking multiple safety precautions can help reduce the risk of drowning as more families spend time around pools this summer.
