Phoenix-area drownings already match 2013 total

One month into the peak swimming season, the number of child drownings in the ­Valley has already equaled the total from all of 2013.

Last year's total of 14 was lower than in prior years, according to data compiled by local fire departments and The Arizona Republic. Most of this year's incidents were at pools without fences or where barriers failed, and the majority involved children under age 6.

The dip in 2013 offered hope to drowning-prevention coordinators that Valley residents and visitors were getting the message to stay vigilant around water. But this year's numbers are making 2013 look like an anomaly, said Lori Schmidt, president of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona.

"This year shows us that the drowning problem is not solved," she said.

The most common fatal ­incidents involve toddlers in backyard pools without either a fence or supervision — and sometimes without both.

Ten of this year's drownings occurred in pools that did not have a fence or had a barrier that failed, including four incidents in which adults lost track of children, according to Tiffaney Isaacson, water safety coordinator for Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Of the 14 who died this year, eight were 5 years old or younger, three were ages 6 to 12 and three were teenagers, according to Children's Safety Zone, a Valley-wide non-profit focused on children's safety.

Two of the teens who drowned were a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old who did not know how to swim.

Schmidt said three of the drownings this year occurred at parties with others near the pool area, indicating a possible lack of awareness among adults who sometimes make assumptions about the children in attendance.

"A lot of families don't think to ask, 'Does your child know how to swim?' " she said.

Seven drownings this season involved toddlers.

On May 17, a 3-year-old Mesa boy was found in the backyard pool at a home where he was attending a birthday party. During the party, parents noticed he was missing and found him floating in the pool. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

Eight days later, a 3-year-old Chandler boy was found at the bottom of a pool during a house party. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died two days later.

"Children under the age 5 do not comprehend danger," Isaacson said. "It's one of the things that puts them at high risk."

In 2013, eight toddlers drowned in Valley pools. Five of the toddlers had no supervision and were able to get around pool barriers. Two of the incidents occurred during social gatherings attended by many people.

Drownings are swift and silent. Adults nearby often get no warning of distress.

Elisa Cazares-Hart said she will never forget March 6, 2010, when she and her husband, Justin, lost track of their 2-year-old son, ­Eric, who had autism.

They found Eric at the bottom of their pool. He had been gone only five minutes.

Water incidents in metro Phoenix:

Cazares-Hart said it was difficult getting ­Eric out. The water in the pool was cold, and it was raining.

"I was thinking maybe I could get to him," Cazares-Hart said. "I was just hoping he would wake up."

Cazares-Hart and her husband ushered their other kids inside and performed CPR on Eric until first responders arrived. He was flown to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Cazares-Hart says she struggles with his death daily and that most nights, he's the first thing she dreams about.

"It's been a little over four years, and I still have that guilt," she said. "It's been four years, and I still don't have a headstone for my son."

The emotional impact can extend beyond friends and relatives, also touching the paramedics, firefighters and police officers who are first to respond.

In his 20 years in the fire service, Littleton Colo., Firefighter Tim Woodward said the ­fatal-drowning calls have outnumbered fire-related deaths.

"It tears my heart out," said Woodward, vice president of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. "We have the ability, for the most part, to take our emotional side out of (answering tough calls), but a lot of time we don't revisit it in a healthy way — kind of bottle it up."

Officials across the board stress the importance of awareness, pointing out trends they've observed.

Schmidt, for example, noticed that summer incidents are often related to supervision issues, whereas winter incidents tend to be related to failed barriers.

Isaacson said holiday weekends and the months of June and July are very risky times.

Safety advocates stress the importance of constant and capable supervision of minors around water. Supervisors should be at least 18 years old, know how to swim and know CPR, Isaacson said.

Schmidt said, "The big thing is understanding what supervision means. A child cannot supervise a child."

Cazares-Hart said she agrees, encouraging families to even make a mock lanyard for a designated family lifeguard to wear around the pool. She also stresses the importance of checking locks on gates and fences, and making sure barriers properly keep kids out.

Isaacson believes 98 percent of child drownings are preventable.

Schmidt said, "There's no magic bullet to prevent drowning. But there are things that are going to help us reduce the risk."­

Drowning-prevention tips

• Adult supervision is the best safeguard. At parties or ­gatherings, designate a "water watcher." Have that person avoid alcohol, cellphones and other distractions.

• Never leave a child unattended near a tub, pool or other source of water.

• Pools and spas should be fenced and locked. Check locks and barriers to make sure they work.

• Teach children to swim. But remember that even if children can swim, they are still susceptible to drowning.

Sources: Drowning Prevention Coalition and Phoenix Fire Department

Valley drownings, 2010-13

• Of the 14 Maricopa County drownings in 2013, 12 occurred during the summer.

• In 2012, 19 children drowned in Maricopa County, including 11 who died during the summer in cases in which no one was supervising them in the water.

• Twenty children drowned in Maricopa County in 2011, including 18 in the summer. One of the two winter drownings involved a child who got through a pool barrier.

• In 2010, 20 children drowned. Seventeen died in the ­summer, including five who drowned when adults were not supervising them.