L.A. County Drownings, Including Pool Deaths of Young Children, Plunge

Drownings have been on the decline in Los Angeles County for the last five years, according to officials.

The total number of all drownings in the county dipped from 143 in 1992 to 95 last year. Meanwhile, the number of pool drownings of children under the age of 4 dropped from 26 in 1993 to 11 last year. Historically, backyard pool drownings have claimed the lives of more California toddlers and preschoolers than any other type of accident.

So far this year, only one drowning involving a toddler was reported through the end of May--a month that traditionally posts more such tragedies.

“We’re running well below average,” said Capt. Steve Valenzuela, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. “We’re praying those figures will hold throughout the summer.”

The decline in drownings may reflect a number of factors, including summer weather patterns, changes in pool safety and the level of public awareness of the dangers that pools can pose and ways to make them safer.

“There’s so many factors, it’s hard to draw any solid conclusions,” said Jeff Johnson, an epidemiology analyst with the county’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program.

But one thing seems certain: Each year as the mercury rises, so does the number of drownings, especially in Southern California suburbs dotted with swimming pools and spas. Orange County, for example, has had an increase in drownings over the last several years.

To turn the tide of tragedy, officials in both counties have launched campaigns to educate the public about ways to make the pool a safer place to play.

In Los Angeles County, fire officials established the Water Awareness Training for Children in the Home program in 1995, which encourages children to designate a “watch buddy” before entering a pool and to yell and get out of the water if the watch buddy leaves the area for any reason.

Another goal of the program is to make parents aware of just how easily drownings can occur if children are left unsupervised--even for a few moments and when pool safety devices have been installed.

“Adult supervision is absolutely the most important precaution,” Valenzuela said. “We can have alarms on sliding-glass doors, automatic shutting gates, pool covers and fencing in place, but there are still ways that toddlers or young children can get through when your back is turned.”

Since the program was established, more than 30,000 brochures have been distributed throughout the county, thanks in part to public service announcements on local television stations. The brochures--available at any county fire station--list pool drowning facts, pool safety tips for adults to pass on to their children and an outline of the program.

The brochures also include a home hazard checklist to help guard against drownings in toilets, tubs, sinks and even buckets. Each year in Los Angeles County at least one child drowns in a bucket of water, Valenzuela said.

In Orange County, meanwhile, fire officials have teamed up with Children’s Hospital of Orange County this year to start a similar public education campaign, after the drownings of 12 children last year. The Water Watcher program also recommends designating someone to watch only the water for 10 minutes at a time when children are present and to wear a Water Watcher tag.

Suggestions only go so far, though, so tougher laws have also been enacted to prevent drownings.

In 1992, the city of Los Angeles adopted a law requiring all new pools and spas to have either a barrier fence around them, in addition to a property fence, or a hard-wire alarm leading directly to the body of water from the interior of the house. Three years ago, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted a similar measure requiring all new pools in unincorporated areas to be enclosed by barrier fences, with bars no more than four inches apart and self-closing, self-latching gates.

“Not everybody feels a barrier fence is necessary, because they may not have a child at home,” said Valenzuela, who worked with the Injury Violence and Prevention Program in supporting the requirement. “However, we know from experience that kids can go to other pools, and it just takes a few seconds for a tragedy to occur.”

Neither requirement is retroactive, but there is a movement on the state level to give tax credits to owners of older pools who install barrier fences. In the near future, Valenzuela said, eight to 10 billboards advertising the program will be going up to spread its message even further as the weather heats up.

“What we found in looking at the statistics is that most of the children drown during the hottest months of the year, which begin in May and go all the way to Labor Day in September,” Valenzuela said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Playing It Safe

Summertime means prime swimming season. But with the fun comes increased danger.

The young and the elderly are especially at risk. In California, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children 5 years old and younger. Nationwide, about 800 people drowned in 1995, 300 of them 4 and younger.

Earlier this month, two people drowned in separate accidents in the San Fernando Valley. On July 3, 4-year-old Daniel Zapata was found face down at the bottom of his family’s backyard pool in San Fernando. Two days later, Torunbo Onotade, 25, was found unconscious at the bottom of a swimming pool at a Granada Hills board-and-care home.

All newly constructed pools, spas--and even fish ponds deeper than 18 inches--in the city of Los Angeles are required to have either a barrier fence or hard-wire alarms on doors leading directly to the body of water from the interior of the house, according to Kip Kennedy, a building mechanical inspector with the city’s Department of Building and Safety.

Statewide, pools built after next Jan. 1 will need to have a fence, cover or other safety device. And someday, pool alarms that monitor water activity may be required.

Last month, Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson proposed that all pools within city limits be required to have an alarm that would sound if someone entered the water unexpectedly. The city’s Building and Safety Department, which is studying the proposal, expects to report back to a City Council committee shortly.

Pool safety laws--coupled with greater public awareness--appear to be making a difference. And this summer is off to a better start than normal.

“After Easter, [the drownings] start happening, but something is different this year,’ said Billie Weiss, director of the county’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program. “We’ll have to see if it holds.’

Even though drownings have decreased, pool owners and users must be diligent about safety. Here are some tips for making the pool season safer.

Prevention at the Pool

* Install several types of barriers, including a four-sided fence with self-closing gate, pool alarm and locked pool cover to give maximum protection, even if no children are living in the house.

* Keep rescue equipment on hand, including life preserver rings with 50-foot lightweight line attached, life jackets and shepherd’s crook.

* Ask an adult swimmer who knows CPR to supervise children under 12. The American Red Cross and local hospitals offer CPR classes.

* Have a cordless phone at poolside, in case of emergency.

* Keep toys away from pool, especially those a child rides.

* If a child is missing, look in the pool or spa first. It takes only two minutes underwater for a child to lose consciousness. Irreversible brain damage can occur after four to six minutes.

* Screams of a drowning child may not be heard. Children are top heavy and tend to go in headfirst, without resurfacing.

* The city Department of Recreation and Parks recommends lessons for children beginning at age 3. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that lessons for children under 4 may lead to a false sense of security.

* A few words of caution to adults: Alcohol, drugs and swimming don’t mix. Never swim alone. And limit your time in hot tubs.

Water Rescue

When someone is in danger, the American Red Cross recommends: “Reach or throw, don’t go.’

* Reaching assist: If able to reach the victim, use a long object such as an oar, a paddle, tree branch or towel. Keeping weight low, lean away from victim, lying down or standing with legs bent and feet comfortably spread. Slowly bring victim in, using hand-over-hand grasp on the reaching object.

* Throwing assist: Using a throwing device such as a ring buoy, stay out of the water and stand with one foot forward and one back, keeping weight low. Hold device in dominant hand and hold extra line in other hand. Use underhand toss, aiming just beyond victim.

* Enter the water only after above options have been attempted.

* Information on CPR lessons: American Red Cross (800) 627-7000

Drowings in L.A. County

Total drownings in L.A. County

1992

Total drownings: 143

Pool or spa drownings: 73

1993

Total drownings: 134

Pool or spa drownings: 68

1994

Total drownings: 125

Pool or spa drownings: 58

1995

Total drownings: 113

Pool or spa drownings: 54

1996

Total drownings: 95

Pool or spa drownings: 46

1997*

Total drownings: 19

Pool or spa drownings: 10

Countywide drownings by age

*--*

Ages 1992 1993 19941995 1996 1997* Birth to 4 21 35 25 31 17 1 5-19 16 14 13 10 8 3 20-49 67 44 52 37 41 11 50-79 31 28 24 22 21 2 80+ 8 13 11 13 8 2

*--*

* Note: Through May 31; Statistics comprise drownings in all locations including pools, spas, bathtubs, open water & buckets.

Sources: Los Angeles County Department of Health Services; Los Angeles County Department of Coroner, Los Angeles Building and Safety Department, American Red Cross, National Safety Council; Researched by STEPHANIE STASSEL / Los Angeles Times