Beware! Parental negligence leads to children's drowning

Abu Dhabi - On Sunday, the police released an advisory video of a young boy swimming in a pool, unsupervised.

The Abu Dhabi Police are urging parents to not leave their children unsupervised in swimming pools and beaches, warning that negligence has been a major cause in the rise of drowning incidents.
On Sunday, the police released an advisory video of a young boy swimming in a pool, unsupervised. The short video reveals how quickly children can struggle in the waters, which ultimately results in disastrous outcomes.
Abu Dhabi Police told Khaleej Times, the 40-second-video, dubbed 'Your Children are Your Responsibility,' is intended to help raise awareness among communities in the UAE Capital about the risks of drowning.
"The video aims to shed light on the importance of child supervision, as well as child safety, in order to minimise the risks of drowning."
The police said there is zero tolerance for negligence, adding that the safety of children are in the hands of their parents.
"Negligence has been a major cause in drowning incidents among children," said the police official.
"Children must be monitored and supervised at all times, whether they are playing in the swimming pool, in the bathtub or in the beach," he added.
Police also urged parents to place fences around the pool at their residential properties, to prevent children from entering without adult supervision, and to avoid using their smart phones while their children are swimming.
In May, rising incidents of children drowning prompted the Abu Dhabi Police to launch another awareness drive to safeguard kids.
The initiative, titled, 'Our Children,' involved police officials urging parents to follow safety protocols associated with swimming pools.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, issued a report revealing that between 2015 and 2016 drowning was included as one of the major causes in "preventable child deaths."
Meanwhile, the Dubai Police reveled that in 2017, a total of 18 drowning incidents occurred in Dubai, resulting in 14 deaths and four injuries of children and adults.
In 2016, a total of 35 drowning accidents took place, which resulted in the deaths of 29 people and six injuries.
Moreover, the Sharjah Police saved 24 people from drowning from the period of 2016 until June 2017. Authorities said five people within the same period died, as a result of drowning.
Adult drowning incidents another major concern
Adults drowning in pools and beaches are also causing major concerns to authorities in the country. Authorities continue to urge swimmers to avoid deep waters, to refrain from swimming if a red flag is raised and called on residents to take the necessary precautions when swimming in rough seas.
Here are some of the drowning incidents involving the adults.
>Last week, a young Emirati man lost consciousness while driving a water bike in Al Ain.
The unconscious man was saved by a woman from the National Emergency Response Volunteer Programme, who happened to be nearby and revive him.
>Last month, the Ajman Civil Defence rescued two Asian men in separate incidents from drowning, after being struck by waves, during Eid Al Fitr holiday.
>In another incident during Eid Al Fitr, an African man was trapped in rough seas and pulled by the Civil Defence personnel.
>Also in June, a 27-year-old man died after drowning in Ajman. The young man was believed to be swimming in the sea of Ajman Corniche.
>In April, six women were rescued from drowning by patrols in Mamzar Beach, Dubai.
>In February, an Asian man was rescued by Ajman Civil Defence, from drowning in the sea. The man was rushed to hospital nd provided him emergency first aid.
>In October last year, a Pakistani Imam drowned to death in Ajman. His body was discovered and fished out from the water by Ajman Police, after he was reported missing for four days.
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com  

• Abu Dhabi