By Jane Sandwood
Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death in the world, accounting for 320,000 deaths every year. The biggest risk factors for drowning include age (drowning is most prevalent among children aged one to four), gender (males have twice the risk as females), and living near open water sources.
The good news is that many technological advances (in the realm of A.I., for instance) are working to reduce the chances of drowning, alerting individuals that an event is taking place. There are also a bevy of iOS apps available at the Apple App Store that you can use to keep you and your family safe when you are in the water.
First Aid By The American Red Cross
This app is a magnificent source of information regarding how to respond if someone in the family requires attention. The app takes you through the attention you need to give the person affected, but also provides a host of videos and text information regarding how to prevent drowning.
If you like the style of this app, download the app Swim, also by the American Red Cross. It targets one of the key risks of drowning (not knowing how to swim) by teaching children and parents swimming safety procedures and providing a plethora of activities and exercises to hone swimming skills.
Home Pool Safety
Children have a higher likelihood of water injuries and drowning because they lack swimming ability, and they may make their way into the water without using flotation devices. If you have a pool at home, it is vital to ensure it is 100% safe. You should have a safety fence installed around the pool and consider taking additional measures – such as installing a pool alarm, which will advise you if a child or pet has fallen into the pool.
You should also download the Home Pool Safetyapp, which provides a safety checklist for your home pool. This list covers practically all relevant areas – including pool safety fences, rescue equipment, and safety covers.
Pool Measure Pro
Pool covers are an excellent way to ensure that small children and pets don’t end up in the water. These can be anchored into your deck, and they comprise a dense mesh that enables water to drain through, while keeping leaves, debris, and little hands and feet away from the water. In order for pool covers to perform their desired function, they need to be the right size. Pool Measure Pro enables you to work out the appropriate measurements for pools of all shapes and sizes.
iSWIMBAND App And Device
This app works alongside a drowning detection device that your children wear as a headband. The app connects up to your smartphone, letting you know when your child has been submerged in water too long. The app and device were developed because drowning can be extremely hard to detect: it can happen silently, and it can occur in as little as 20 seconds. Children should always wear a flotation device and be under the supervision of an adult, but having the vital aid of an alarm that actually measures submergence times can be handy too.
Something Eerie
This app was developed for children aged eight to 12, and it introduces them to a host of fun characters who, together, are called upon to solve a mystery. The aim of the app is to introduce children to key principles of water safety while making learning seem more like play than work.
There are six spooky, interactive stories, all of which have various pathways and alternative endings. This is one that will keep children enthralled for hours, while specifying the dangers posed by different bodies of water.
Drowning continues to take hundreds of thousands of lives across the globe. Installing pool safety fences, covering pools, and installing alarms can all help. So can downloading health and safety apps covering a variety of subjects – including first aid and drowning prevention. If you’re planning to spend time near water, check out the iOS safety apps that can help keep you and your family safe.
