The drowning rate for young children shoots up every spring, and this year is no exception. But it can be stopped with a Home Pool Safety Makeover and a few behavioral changes, says Diane Holm, Lee County’s public information officer with Public Safety.

The Southwest Florida Drowning Prevention Committee held a Home Pool Safety Makeover Party at the Lehigh Acres Community Pool and the Florida Gulf Coast University Pool Saturday, April 4 with fun, games and giveaways for the children and great pool, spa and deck safety update ideas and information for parents, Holm said.

Drowning is the second-leading cause of injury death for children under age 15, and the leading cause of death for children ages 1-5 in Florida. Lee County Emergency Medical Services urges parents to make their pools, doors and decks safer for kids and avoid tragedy.

The Home Pool Safety Makeover Party offered information to parents who attended the event, Holm said.

She noted that statistics show that children are more likely to accidentally fall into the pool when they’re fully dressed than when they’re in a bathing suit. Most pre-school age drownings occur in the backyard swimming pool. Some 75 percent of children who drown were last seen by their parents within five minutes of the incident, Holm said.

Installing barriers between young children and swimming pools, such as four-sided pool fences, can prevent drowning and submersion injury. Thousands of children annually suffer permanent health impairments from falling into a pool, spa or decorative pond unnoticed and being rescued in time to save their lives but not their health.

Now is the time to consider swimming lessons for children of all ages, Holm stressed.

Make sure the children are taught water safety as part of the swimming lessons. A current list of instruction sources can be found on the Lee County Injury Prevention website at www.leecountyinjuryprevention.com . Parents should also know how to swim and be able to perform CPR, should there be an emergency, she said.

Drowning is called the “Silent Killer” because there is no splash or cry for help, Holm said.

A safety drain cover can help prevent entrapment or hair entanglement. A Pool Safety Makeover can create additional layers of safety for children and peace of mind for parents, Holm said.