In-Home Drowning Hazards Video
Press Release # 04-213
Transcript
TEXT: Bathtubs
The majority of bathtub deaths occur when the caregiver is not present. Always keep baby in arm's reach. Don't leave a baby in the care of another young child. Never leave to answer the phone, answer the door, get a towel or for any other reason. If you must leave, take the baby with you.
(View of woman bathing a young child in a bathtub. The phone rings, and she answers the one that she already has wtih her in the room).
Woman: "Hello? Can I call you back? I'm giving Steven a bath right now. OK, thanks. Bye"
(View of woman continuing to stay with her child while she bathes him. Doorbell rings and she wraps her baby in a towel to take him with her to see who it is).
Woman: "Who's at the door? Should we go see? Let's go see who's at the door!"
TEXT: Bathtubs Continued
Always make sure the tub drains completely. Be sure that a washcloth or toy does not block the drain so that water remains in the tub, posing a drowning hazard.
(View of person removing drain plug and all toys from bathtub and allowing water to exit)
(View of person removing a washcloth from the drain of a bathtub, allowing it to drain properly)
TEXT: Bath Seats (Baby Doll Simulation)
A baby bath seat is not a substitute for supervision. A bath seat is a bathing aid, not a safety device. Even when a child is in a bath seat, you should always be in arm's reach.
(Drawings of child in a baby bath seat that overturns)
(View of person holding a baby bath seat in a bathtub, and pointing to the suction cups on the bottom. The person then places the bath seat on the bottom of the tub)
(View of baby doll in a bath seat which has become unattached to the bottom of the tub, resulting in the doll's head remaining underwater, even though the baby is still in the seat)
TEXT: Buckets
Never leave a bucket containing even a small amount of liquid unattended. When finished using the bucket, always empty it immediately. Store buckets where young children cannot access them.
(View of woman mopping her kitchen floor. Her young child is playing with a ball nearby, which falls into the bucket. The child reaches into the bucket to remove the ball, and the woman tells her child "no" and picks him up to take him into another room. When she's done mopping the floor, she pours all of the water from the bucket into the sink before putting both the empty bucket and the mop into a child-locked cabinet).
TEXT: Bucket Drowning (Baby Doll Simulation)
(View of baby doll with head under water in bucket, and feet sticking out of the top. There is a small rubber ducky toy that is clearly visible in the bucket with the doll. View of warning label on the side of the same bucket that has the doll in it).
TEXT: Toilets
The typical drowning scenario with a toilet involves a child under 3-years-old falling into a toilet. Keep the toilet lid down to prevent access to the water. Consider using a toilet lock to stop young children from opening the lids. Consider placing a latch on the bathroom door out of reach of young children.
(View of toilet. View of child playing with water in the toilet. Woman comes into room, picks up the child, leaves the bathroom with the child, and then locks the door from the outside).
Woman: "Come here, this is not for you!"
(View of man in bathroom demonstrating the use of the toilet lock).
TEXT: Spas and Hot Tubs
Always secure the safety cover on your spa or hot tub when it isn't in use. Some non-rigid covers, such as solar covers, can allow a small child to slip into the water and the cover would appear to still be in place. Use barriers, such as locking the door leaing to the spa and hot tub, to prevent young children from gaining access.
(View of child playing with a ball near a spa. The child's ball falls into the water, and soon he comes back to try and fish it out. Next there is a view of a person pulling a heavy cover over the spa and locking it).
TEXT: Spa Drowning (Baby Doll Simulation)
(View of baby doll face-down in the water of the spa, on top of a light covering. The baby gets deeper and deeper in the water).
TEXT: Landscape Ponds
Young children are drawn to man-made landscape ponds, which seem to be more and more popular in home gardens. They often have no barriers to prevent access by young children.
(View of young child looking at fish in a backyard pond. She leans over the water, and sits on the unstable edge, trying to reach a stream of trickling water over the center of the pond until an adult comes and picks up the child to carry her away).
TEXT: CPSC offers free publications and information for consumers to help prevent drowning.
For more information, go to
www.cpsc.gov
or call our Hotline at (800) 638-2772
End.