BETHEL

Mom, Did You Know I Almost Drowned?

I learn a lot about my children when we weed the garden together.  This chore is conducive to conversation. So when my daughter asked me, “Mom, did you know I almost drowned one time?” I was ready to hear all about it.  She proceeded to tell me that she was doing “bobs” in the pool with her two cousins. She bobbed down but this particular time, she couldn’t get back up above water. She opened her mouth to call for help and swallowed a mouthful of water. To her, it seemed like a long time, but she was able to get one foot and one hand on the bottom of the pool and push herself hard enough to get back  up.  Once she was on top again, her cousins asked her what happened. They saw her go down but didn’t see her come back up.

Now, my daughter had three seasons of swim lessons at the local YMCA. My husband was also a lifeguard for a few years, so he had diligently taught them pool safety. We supervise all pool activities. Yet I was still unaware that this event had occurred.  It only takes a second for a life-changing event to occur, so the Town of Bethel would like to encourage you to please practice pool safety this swimming season.

Even if you don’t have children, little ones can sometimes escape the watchful eyes of their caregivers and do so very quickly! Make sure that your pool is always inaccessible to little ones.  Then, enjoy your pool and make great memories with your family and friends.

Sussex County Swimming Pool Code

Home Swimming Pool Safety Tips from the American Red Cross