Industry & Safety Groups Mark Baby Safety Month with Drowning Prevention Campaign
Press Release # 03-177
Transcript
TEXT: BATHTUBS
Children drowning in bathtubs account for about two-thirds of hte drowning deaths in and around the mone. The majority of htese bathtub deaths occur when the caregiver is not present.
TEXT: BATHTUBS, CONTINUED
Always keep a 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 child. Phone rings and she answers the cordless phone that is by her side, still keeping contact with baby with free hand)
Woman: "Hello? Can I give you a call back? I'm giving Steven a bath. OK, bye!"
(Woman continues bathing child, then the doorbell rings, she talks to the baby, telling him that they are going to check and see who's at the door as she takes the child from the tub and wraps him in a nearby towel so that her baby can go with her and is not left in the tub unattended)
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 woman removing drain plug and toys from bathtub, allowing the water to drain properly. View of bathtub with an obstructed drain, from which the water is not draining properly. Woman removes the washcloth that had been obstructing the drain, and allows water to be removed from the tub)
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.
Never use a baby bath seat in a non-skid, slip-resistant bathtub, becuase the suction cups may not adhere to the bathtub surface or can detach unexpectedly.
(Drawings of a baby in a bath seat: Baby begins in bath seat sitting upright. Bath seat begins to tip and child is getting closer to the water. Bath seat tips over completely and child is stuck face-down in the water)
(View of baby bath seat held over empty bath tub. View of bottom of baby bath seat with focus on suction cups. View of baby bath seat placed at bottom of empty tub, suction cups not adherign to the bottom of the bathtub. Another view of the bottom of the bath seat followed by a view of the bath seat being pushed against the bottom of the tub, after which the woman demonstrates that the seat is still not attached to the bathtub by moving it around and then lifting it. View of baby doll in bathseat which was not properly attached to the bottom of the bathtub and is now on its side, the doll's face is in the water)
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, with sounds of a toddler in the background. View of small child, near woman who is mopping, approaching the bucket that woman has filled with water for mopping. Child is reaching into the bucket for a toy that has fallen in, and the mother is telling him "No". Woman reaches down to pull the child's hand from the bucket and then picks him up and moves him from the area. View of woman pouring all of the water from the bucket into the sink. She then places the mop in the bucket and both in a cabinet that has a child-proofing device designed to keep it closed)
TEXT: BUCKET DROWNING (Baby Doll Simulation)
(View of bucket on the floor with the legs of a baby doll sticking up from within it. View from above of baby doll with its head submerged in the water in the bucket, we can now see a rubber ducky toy floating in the water. Close up of warning label on the side of the bucket that has a diagram of a child reaching into the bucket which is crossed through)
TEXT: TOILETS
The typical drowning scenario involves a child under the age of 3-years-old falling headfirst into a toilet. Consider using a toilet lock to stop young children from opening the lid. Consider placing a latch on the bathroom door out of reach of young children.
(View of toilet with open lid. View of child playing with the water in the toilet. View of woman picking up the child, carrying him away from the toilet after shutting the lid and closing the door behind her while she tells the child that the toilet is not for him. She fastens a latch that is attached to the top of the bathroom door. View of man opening and closing the lid of a toilet that has a child safety mechanism on it)
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 still appear to be in place. Use barriers, such as locking the door leading to the spa and hot tub, to prevent young children from gaining access.
(View of child with ball on a deck approaching an uncovered spa. The ball goes into the water and the child begins to make noise and jump around before he returns to the spa, touches the dials along the side and then begins trying to get his ball by reaching over the water. He realizes that he can't reach the ball and turns away to get his mother. View of person closing a rigid cover to block access to the spa, fastening latches along the sides)
TEXT: SPA DROWNING (Baby Doll Simulation)
(Various views of a baby doll face-down in the water of a spa which had been covered by a non-rigid spa cover)
End.