The Silent Killer in Your Backyard

Tragically High Number of Child Drowning Incidents This Spring Prompt Authorities to Increase Public Awareness of Pool Safety Precautions for Families with Backyard Swimming Pools

Los Angeles, CA (May 26, 2008) – Again this summer, child safety and the tragedy of drowning incidents are under the spotlight as water safety experts attempt to raise awareness and promote ways to help reduce child drowning incidents and near-drowning accidents in residential backyard swimming pools – known by water safety advocates as “the silent killer,” according to Todd Appleman, an advocate for water safety public education campaigns.

Mr. Appleman also sells the Safety Turtle pool alarm, considered to be “gold standard” among the pool alarms available on the market.

Already this year, more than 75 children have drowned in backyard pools in the five states that have the highest number of drowning incidents annually. These states include Florida, California, Arizona, Texas, and New York.

According to The Centers for Disease Control, The American Pediatrics Association, and The Consumer Products Safety Commission, the incidents of drowning among children aged 1-5 averages 500 per year, making drowning in backyard swimming pools the highest cause of accidental death for young Toddlers. An estimated 3,000 more children suffer permanent brain damage in near-drowning incidents which are classified as events when a child is submerged under water for even as few as 60 seconds.

“Child drowning in swimming pools has reached an epidemic level,” said Todd Appleman, president of eSafetyAlert.com. “We highly recommend that parents remain constantly vigilant when their child (or children) is near a swimming pool or other water hazard.

Secondly, we recommend a multiple lines of defense such as fencing, a pool alarm, gate alarms, and self-closing gates. Each of these adds a ‘layer of protection.’”
The Safety Turtle pool alarm includes two key components: A Base Station receiver which monitors any number of wristbands which are worn on children’s wrists. The wristband resembles a Turtle and with a childproof strap which is locked on to the child’s wrist. In the event that the child falls into the swimming pool, or any other water hazard such as the beach, river, lake, pond, or when boating, a piercing alarm sounds the instant the child falls into the water.

New this year, eSafetyAlert.com now offers the Safety Turtle wireless gate alarm which sounds a siren the moment the child opens the pool gate. Both systems alert parents and other adults that the child is in danger – first as the gate is opened and second if the child falls into the water.

“Safety Turtle provides a vital warning the moment the child falls into the water; thus minimizing the vital seconds that the child is submerged underwater,” said Mr. Appleman. “The perception that parents would hear a child drowning is a myth. In fact, drowning is considered a ‘silent death.’ Research has shown that children slip under water when adults are only a few feet away from the swimming pool. This is why an adult must be vigilant whenever children are near water.”

Mr. Appleman adds, “Almost all of these accidents can be prevented if safety precautions, such as using pool nets, installing fencing that meets ASTM codes, installing self-closing gates with alarms, installing a pool alarm, and most importantly, always ensuring active adult supervision"

“All of these layers of protection reduce the risk, but the weakest link is when children are not being watched at all times, adds Mr. Appleman. ”This is the message that we must repeat year-after-year.”

To obtain additional information, visit www.eSafetyAlert.com. Swimming lessons offered by local community pools, YMCA’s, and The American Red Cross, are also important steps parents can pursue to “water proof” their children.

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Contact Information

Todd Appleman

President

The Appleman Group

Contact via E-mail