Water Awareness in Residential Neighborhoods

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Drowning is preventable. Help save a life.

WARN Safety Tips
Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of five. Infants and toddlers can drown quickly and silently, in a matter of seconds. Drowning is preventable. The City of Chula Vista's Fire and Recreation Departments have launched an educational campaign that can help you protect your child. Chula Vista WARN - Water Awareness in Residential Neighborhoods - reaches communities with important water safety information that could save the life of a child you know and love.
Remember these life-saving tips based on the “Safer 3”: Safer Kids, Safer Water, Safer Response

Safer Kids

Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes adults and children. Register for swim lessons here.
Children need to learn what to do in a water emergency.
Never leave a child unsupervised around water. Assign an adult "Water Watcher" to maintain constant supervision.
Watch children around any water environment including a pool, stream, lake, tub, toilet or even a bucket of water.
All weak or non-swimmers should wear a United States Coast Guard approved life-jacket. The use of flotation devices and inflatable toys cannot replace parental supervision. Such devices can suddenly shift position, lose air, or slip out from underneath, leaving the child in a dangerous situation.

Safer Water

Take steps to minimize unauthorized use of the pool. Install fencing with self-closing and self-latching gates and alarms around pools. Lock all doors and windows leading to the pool.
Have life-saving equipment such as ring buoys or reaching poles available for use, and know how to use them.
Never leave furniture near the fence that would enable a child to climb over the fence.
Keep toys away from the pool when it's not in use. Toys can attract young children to the water.
Remove pool covers before swimming.

Safer Response

Have a phone next to the pool so you can call 9-1-1 in an emergency.
Understand the basics of life saving so you can assist in a pool emergency.
If you find someone in trouble in the water, yell for help and get them out immediately. Call 9-1-1 and stay on the line. Follow the instructions of the 9-1-1 operator until help arrives, and begin CAPER if you are trained. Non-swimmers should reach or throw but don't jump in to pull the person out of the water. Reach with your arm/leg, a broom/mop handle, a reaching pole, a wet towel or throw a life jacket, ring buoy, ball or anything that floats.
Learn CPR and insist that babysitters, grandparents and others who care for your child know CPR.
If a child is missing, check the pool first. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool bottom and surface, as well as the surrounding pool area.

CPR CLASSES

CPR Classes in Chula Vista: held the 3rd Thursday of the month from 8:00am-4:00pm at Public Works Center: 1800 Maxwell Rd, Chula Vista, CA 91911; Cost is $25/person or $10/student. To enroll call: (619) 407-3589.
http://www.heart.org/cpr
http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class

Pool Safety Tips

Water Watcher Program

When kids are in or near the pool, always designate an adult Water Watcher. His or her job is to keep a constant watch on all children at the pool. A child can drown in a matter of seconds without making a sound. Please don’t be distracted by cell phones or socializing. Wear the “Water Watcher” tag and only be relieved of duty by another adult Water Watcher. Pick up your free “Water Watcher” tag at any Chula Vista public pool or fire station.

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