Town of Marana getting ready for pool season with drowning initiative

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - As the weather warms up and kids across southern Arizona enjoy their spring break, pools around town are getting ready for the crowds.

But with that comes the danger of drownings and other water-related emergencies.

The latest numbers from the Arizona Child Fatality Review Sheet show 2021 had the most drownings for kids 17 and under in more than 10 years. During that year drowning was the number one cause of death for kids 4 and younger.

All of that is why leaders in Marana are doing a couple of things to make sure people are prepared for the worst-case scenario.

They’re giving out tags that go on the fence or by a pool with steps on what to do in case of a drowning. They’re also giving out stickers that have the steps for how to give CPR if you forget or are not certified.

The town of Marana holds different campaigns each year to make sure people are aware of what they can do during an emergency, and this year the big push is CPR.

During the pandemic, people were taught to give CPR with just chest compressions, but when it comes to drownings it’s vital to also give breaths.

Experts say while trying to prevent drownings should always be the goal, it’s always good to just be prepared for the worst.

“Accidents happen and drownings are still occurring at an alarming rate,” Marana Recreation Aquatics Supervisor Kevin Goodrich said. “And even though people know how to be prepared, sometimes they choose not to, and something does happen and they don’t know how to respond. They don’t know what to do, they don’t know the right steps to take.”

The pool in Marana opens on Memorial Day and will be open until Labor Day since it is a seasonal pool. For more on the town’s initiative and other ways to be prepared for an emergency, you can check out the website here.

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