Collective Preventive Services (CPS) marked World Drowning Prevention Day with some sobering facts (see related story). Some 236,000 people drown annually, 2.5 million in the past decade.
Of even bigger concern is that the highest number of such deaths occurs among children 1-4 and 5-9 years old. Constant close supervision by at least one responsible adult at those ages is essential to prevent tragedies.
Although helpful, floats provide no guarantee, as they can come off or deflate during play, with all possible consequences. In the Netherlands there were 101 deaths by drowning last year, the majority in lakes or open water, but 20% also at home in pools or tubs.
For a relatively small and warm island with plenty of beaches, bays and lagoons this matter is obviously of great significance. Many grow up in larger countries never even seeing let alone entering the sea, but that’s highly unlikely here.
CPS listed six evidence-based prevention interventions of which teaching basic swimming skills to youngsters is perhaps the most important. It sounds simple enough; each inhabitant should learn how to swim early in their development.
Primary schools in St. Maarten take part in government’s swimming programme for Group 5 (third-grade) students. They reportedly do it at that level as experience shows pupils tend to have less control of their bodily functions before then, making them more difficult to instruct, while adequate facilities are in short supply.
Individual participation is obviously not mandatory and some parents may oppose such for whatever reason. They ought to think again, because – without underestimating the value of all other sports and recreation activities – this could one day literally save their kids’ lives.
