Preventing childhood drownings in Yuma
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Drowning is silent, swift and devastating.
It's a parent's worst nightmare an unimaginable loss that can occur in mere moments.
And this summer there have already been two child drowning deaths in Yuma County.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the leading cause of injury-related deaths in children ages one through four is drowning.
That was the harsh reality for one Yuma family.
“One moment that everything is fine and safe and life is moving like it should and the next you're flying to Phoenix and you never get to see your baby again,” said Travis Krizay and Ashley Simms, who lost their son to drowning.
Yuma locals Travis Krizay and Ashley Simms lost their two-year-old son Atticus to a drowning accident in 2018.
Now their mission is to make other parents aware drownings can happen anywhere at any time.
“It doesn’t just end at pools or toilets, it’s the river, it’s the water park, it’s everywhere and it’s so unfortunate but it is so dangerous,” said Travis Ashley.
Travis and Ashley also practice water safety with their four-year-old son Archie.
Giving him a series of tasks, he needs to complete before getting in the pool
“You, put you bathing suit, and your sunscreen, and your floaties,” said Travis and Ashley.
The Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) pediatric emergency room medical director is deeply committed to advocating for water safety awareness.
“The best way to prevent drownings is to put a barrier around the pool that can lock. The second thing is you need to have a designated adult that watches the kids,” said Dr. Salil Chitnis.
Dr. Chitnis also said CPR is essential.
“If you initiate CPR right away, the chances are very high, within the first two minutes, you can save a kid’s life,” said Dr. Chitnis.
And even though this summer there were two child drownings, lower than the eight cases YRMC saw two years ago, Travis and Ashley want that number to be zero.
“We have a lot of friends who are firefighters and first responders and those guys and girls have to see it multiple times and I would love to get it done to them just responding to fires or an elderly heart attack, no more kids in water," said Travis and Ashley.
