|
 According to the CDC, drowning ranks fifth among
the leading causes of unintentional injury and death in the US, and
is the second leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 to
14 years. More children between the ages of 1 and 4 die from
drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects.
In 2016, 21 Illinois children under the age of 18 lost their lives
due to accidental drowning: 13 in pools, three in bathtubs, two in
lakes, two in rivers and one in a drainage ditch.
“Drownings happen quickly and silently; and in as little as one inch
of water,” said Illinois DCFS Director George Sheldon. “In this age
of constant distraction, it is important for parents and caregivers
to actively supervise children when they are in or near any body of
water.”
For more water safety tips, including posters and coloring books for
children, visit
www.DCFS.Illinois.gov.
Text of Governor Rauner’s proclamation:
WHEREAS, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death
for children ages one through four, accounting for nearly one-third
of all accidental deaths of toddlers and pre-school children; and,
WHEREAS, drowning is the second leading cause of death for
children ages one through 14 and claims the life of an average of
two children per day in the United States; and,
WHEREAS, child drowning can occur in seconds in pools,
bathtubs, hot tubs, decorative garden ponds, and even buckets that
contain as little as two inches of water; and,
WHEREAS, 21 Illinois children lost their lives to accidental
drowning in 2016: 13 in pools, three in bathtubs, two in lakes, two
in rivers and one in a drainage ditch; and, [to top of second
column] |
WHEREAS, for every child that drowns, five more are
victims of near-drowning that require emergency medical care, often leading to
hospitalization and causing long-term brain damage that can include: memory
loss, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning that
results in a permanent vegetative state; and,
WHEREAS, inadequate supervision of children, which includes neglect that
results in drowning, is the third-leading cause of all child deaths indicated by
the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services; and,
WHEREAS, it is important to recognize that constant adult supervision is
needed when children are near or in water; and,
WHEREAS, the use of floatation devices and inflatable toys
cannot replace parental supervision because such devices can suddenly shift
position, lose air, or slip out from underneath, leaving the child in a
dangerous situation; and,
WHEREAS, adults need to practice “Reach Supervision” by staying within an
arm’s length reach of young children and not rely on substitutes; and,
WHEREAS, the state’s “Get Water Wise…Supervise!” campaign urges the
public to prevent childhood drowning and life-altering near-drowning by
providing adult supervision whenever children are near or in water; and,
WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the
Illinois Child Death Review Team and other community partners that recognize
that childhood drowning is preventable if proper adult supervision is provided;
Therefore, I, Bruce Rauner, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby
proclaim May 2017 as Childhood Drowning Prevention Month in Illinois, and
encourage all parents and caregivers to learn and practice proven child water
safety precautions, ensuring the safety of all Illinois children.
[Illinois Department of Children and
Family Services] |
