It takes only one inch of water to cover a child's mouth and nose. In the time it takes to answer the phone a child can lose consciousness.
   As the state's only pediatric hospital designated as a Level I Trauma Center, that's a situation that we take seriously.
   About 300 people drown each year in Texas. Nationwide statistics show that for every child 14 years and younger who dies from drowning, five receive emergency room care for nonfatal submersion injuries. And even a near-drowning can cause brain damage resulting in long-term disabilities.
   "Know Before You Go" is a campaign to educate the community about how to help prevent drowning. The YMCA of Dallas, Children's Medical Center Dallas, American Red Cross-Dallas Chapter and the Safe Kids Dallas Area Coalition have come together to provide a series of presentations and on-going educational information.
   The campaign's slogan "Ready, Set, Save!" incorporates easy steps you can take to prevent a child's drowning. These steps and other important drowning prevention information is available on the Children's Web site.
  
Ready

• Create layers of protection between the water and your children, such as door and window alarms, a non-climbable five foot fence surrounding the pool, self-closing fence gates that open outward with latches out of the child's reach.
• Learn CPR and Proper Rescue Techniques.
• Avoid distractions while children are near water, including talking on the phone, reading, preparing food or visiting with friends

Set

• Never leave your child alone near a pool, spa, bathtub or toilet.
• Assign an adult "Water Watcher" who is committed to supervising the pool area.
• Have phone access near the water area.
• Wear personal floatation devices that are Coast Guard approved.

Save

• Call 9-1-1. If a child is missing, the first place to look is any nearby pools. Upon finding a child in the water, first yell for help and call 9-1-1. If someone is with you, have that person call 9-1-1.
• Throw! Don't go. If the child is conscious use the mounted life-saving ring or shepherd's hook to provide the child with assistance to the side, steps or shallow area of the pool. In the case of a child who is unconscious or at the bottom of the pool, an adult should enter the water feet first and rescue the child onto the nearest level surface.
• Begin CPR. Determine if the child is breathing by tilting the head back and putting your cheek over their mouth. If you don't hear or feel breathing or see the chest rising, begin CPR immediately. Continue CPR until emergency help arrives. If you are alone and the child is not breathing, start CPR. After one minute, call 9-1-1. Return to the child and continue CPR until help arrives.

Resources
Safety and Injury Prevention
Know Before You Go