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Community News, For the Kids
Phones Down, Eyes Up!
As kids get out of school and public and private pools reopen this summer, the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth is doubling down on efforts to prevent drowning deaths by participating in the launch of YMCA of the USA’s national Phones Down, Eyes Up™ campaign. The campaign highlights the critical need for caregivers to stay alert when supervising children around water and encourages families to put their phones away and stay focused at pools, lakes, beaches, or other bodies of water.
Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury and death among children ages 1 to 4. Statistics from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance show that 88% of drownings occur with at least one adult present.
“People think they’ll hear someone if they’re struggling in the water, because that’s what we see in TV and movies. In reality, drowning is silent and can happen in as little as 30 seconds. When we’re looking at our phones, we don’t see what’s happening around us,” said Keith Kotar, association director of aquatics for the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth.
As part of the Phones Down, Eyes Up campaign, the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth is calling on families to designate a “water watcher”— an adult whose sole responsibility is to supervise children near water, free from distractions like phones, conversations, or alcohol. “We know how easily distractions can happen around water, but just one moment of inattention can have serious consequences,” Kotar said. “We are committed to empowering families with the tools and information they need to stay safe around water.”
Kotar offers these tips to keep kids safe in and around water.
- Stay off cell phones.
- Always keep children under active supervision.
- Keep young children within arm’s reach of an adult.
- Make sure older children swim with a partner every time.
- Designate a responsible person to watch the water when people are in the pool; never allow anyone to swim alone.
- Trade off water watcher duties every 10 to 15 minutes.
- Have young or inexperienced swimmers wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket. Arm floaties and other devices can easily fail.
- Surround your backyard pool with a secure fence with childproof locks.
- Keep pool gates locked at all times.
- Learn CPR and first aid.
The campaign’s website, PhonesDownEyesUp.org, also offers a variety of helpful resources for families, including digital safety materials, a pledge to commit to water safety, and educational tools to help families stay safe this summer. Families who take the pledge will have access to resources such as phone wallpaper reminders, monthly safety tips, and downloadable Water Watcher lanyards.
For more information about water safety lessons and other swim safety tips, go to https://ymcafw.org/programs/
