The silent killer: How to prevent and spot a drowning

As much fun as the water is, it can be equally as dangerous.

Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional deaths in the United States, but the good news is that it’s preventable.

Dan Jones is the head of Norfolk Aquatics and Beaches. He says a big issue is that people don’t take the right precautions because they believe they’re good swimmers.

“No matter who you are, swim with a partner, swim with a buddy. Don’t overestimate your swimming ability. Swim near a lifeguard, never swim at night,” says Jones.

He says it’s up to parents to make sure they are keeping a watchful eye on children at all times and not distracted with cellphones or drinking.

The parent will say ‘yeah my child swims every day,’ ‘well can your child swim in water over their head?’ and they say ‘no, they can’t swim in water over their head’ and we say, ‘well your child can’t swim, your child is wading in the water.’”

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