Keeping water safety top of mind as more families spend time at pools during warmer weather

As the summer approaches, more families will be spending time around the water, meaning an increased danger of drowning.

On Monday alone, ABC15 reported on two separate incidents involving pools and children in the Valley, including one that left a child dead.

Drowning is the third most common cause of unintentional injury-related deaths, according to Salt River Project via the Arizona Department of Health Services.

In 2023, ABC15 reported on 46 near-drownings involving children in the Valley and a dozen deadly incidents.

Since the start of 2024, there have been nine media-reported near-drowning incidents involving kids in the Phoenix metro area and four deadly incidents.

SRP offers a comprehensive checklist and other resources to prevent water emergencies.

To help keep your family safe, here are some precautions to take and things to know as you head out to pools, lakes, and other bodies of water this spring and summer:

• Ask water watchers to put away all distractions, such as electronic devices and books.
• Make sure water watchers know the address.
• If at a pool, water watchers should scan the bottom of the pool before leaving and lock the pool gate.
• Water watchers must actively watch those in their care, being sure to scan the area and keep count of everyone in the group, not just children.
• When near a pool, lock any pool gates each time someone enters or exits. Never prop a gate open.
• Be aware of buckets, puddles, ponds and play structures that may be safety hazards.
• Learn how to perform CPR on infants, children and adults. Knowing can save lives.
• Teach all kids to swim at an appropriate age and remember that it’s never too late for adults to learn how to swim.

While these reminders may sound like white noise, knowing them and being aware can save lives.

Ashley Ackerman lost her 4-year-old son Braxton to drowning in March of 2022. ABC15 talked with her last year as she worked to raise awareness about pool safety.

She said she wishes she knew some of the statistics and what "layers of protection" meant before losing her son.

The layers Ackerman encourages people to have include a self-latching gate, eye-to-eye supervision, CPR training, and educating kids on water safety.

“When you bundle them together, and you realize the more you have, the safer you are,” Ackerman told ABC15 at the time. “But still nothing is foolproof. It changes the way you think about things.”