You could save a life tomorrow
Glimpses of dazzling sunlight and occasional flashes of natural warmth, rare as they still might be, remind us: Summer is sneaking up.
That’s news to gladden the frosty, chuck-holed hearts of North Idahoans after one of the longest, wettest winters on record. Spring’s resurgence would be most welcome, but if ever there was a time to dive right into the main summer event, this might be it. Last one in is a rotten egg!
Yet danger lurks in those tempting, soothing waters.
According to a piece in today’s paper written by Marc Stewart, drowning is the No. 1 accidental killer of children 1 to 4 years old and second for children 1 to 14. Blessed with abundant fresh water places to play, North Idaho is therefore also burdened by excessive danger spots.
Thank goodness, the Kroc Community Center is throwing out a life preserver.
If you read nothing else in today’s paper and you have young children or grandchildren, please read the story headlined “Making a Splash! Kroc Center working to prevent childhood drownings” on page A8. You’ll learn that tomorrow is April Pools Day at the Kroc, a free event for Kootenai County kids to learn the basics of water safety.
The story will give you all the necessary details, but a couple of points stand out.
One is that, statistically speaking, if someone doesn’t learn to swim by the age of 9, chances are they’ll never learn to swim. That’s a prescription for tragedy.
Another is that 75 percent of child drownings occur when an adult has dropped his or her guard in supervising the child for less than five minutes. That’s one phone call. It could be a trip to the bathroom. It might be nodding off ever so briefly on a beautiful, relaxing summer day.
Please, parents and grandparents, trade those fateful future five minutes for five minutes now reading today’s story. Then take advantage of the wonderful opportunity the Kroc folks are providing tomorrow. Even if your child never becomes an Olympic swimmer, just learning how not to panic could save that child’s life.