Virginia Department of Health offers the public tips to prevent drownings

STAUNTON,Va.(WSET)—OnWorldDrowningPreventionDay,theCentralShenandoahHealthDistrict(CSHD)isremindingfamiliesthatresidentialpoolsaretheleadinglocationforaccidentalpooldrowningsinchildrenunder15. Officialssaidtheyareencouraginghomeownerstoensurethattheirpoolshavepropersafetyfeaturesinplacetohelpreducetheriskofdrowningorinjury. AccordingtotheU.S.ConsumerProductSafetyCommission,70%ofpoolorspadrowningsinchildrenundertheageof15occurredinresidentialsettings.Thatnumbergrowsto85%forchildren0-5yearsold,officialssaid. Accordingtoofficials,inVirginia,ninechildrenunderagefivehaveaccidentallydrownedinpoolsin2025,anincreasefromthelastfiveyears(threein2024,twoin2023,andfourin2022,eightin2021,andfourin2020). “Thesedrowningssaddenusandourcommunity,”saidDr.AllisonBaroco,ActingHealthDirectorforCSHD.“Drowningispreventable;watchingyoungchildrenwheninandnearthewaterisessentialfortheirsafety.” SEEALSO:Safetycrewsremindcommunityofsw