Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) are encouraging school administrators, parents and community members to keep safety in mind as more than two million Illinois public school students begin their summer vacations. Whether it is swimming, biking, camping or family vacations, ISBE, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois State Police (ISP) urge everyone to be mindful of safety, so accidents and tragedies can be avoided.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper supervision in all summer activities can help prevent both injury and death, as unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children. Unintentional injuries include accidental drowning, poisoning and burns. The key for preventing many of these unintentional injury deaths and disabling injuries among children is effective supervision. Swimming with adult supervision, alongside a buddy and at places with lifeguards on duty are all encouraged.
According to the CDC, swimming is the second most popular recreational activity in the United States, and it is the most popular activity for children. Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death among children, ages 4 to 11. In 2006 alone, the CDC reported more than 3,900 non-fatal injuries from drowning or near drowning for children up to age 19.
According to the IDNR Office of Law Enforcement, 13 people died and 57 were injured in boating-related accidents on Illinois waters in 2007. That is down slightly from 2006, when there were 17 fatalities and 66 injuries in boating-related accidents. Of the 13 fatalities in 2007, 10 of the victims may have survived, had they been wearing personal flotation devices.
Local playgrounds and area parks are also favorite summer spots for children, but can lead to injuries as well. Every year, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children, ages 14 and younger, for playground-related injuries. Falls account for 60 percent of playground injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), so parents or adult supervisors should look for play areas that have wood chips or mulch on the surface. Concrete, asphalt and packed dirt surfaces are hard and may cause injuries.
CDC and the CPSC offers the following tips to stay safe during the summer. • Make sure children have adult supervision while swimming, boating or playing near water. Never swim alone; use a buddy system.
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