Fredericksburg Parent

8 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2026 WRITTEN BY JACQUELENE D'AMICO What Lifeguards and First Responders Wish Parents Would Stop Doing Smart Summer Swimming As the pool season kicks off, parents might be focused on packing the perfect swim bag: snacks, goggles and sunscreen. But for lifeguards and first respond- ers, the start of summer marks the beginning of their most high-stakes season of the year. Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death among kids in Virginia. According to the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Environmental Health Services, from 2016 to 2020, nearly half of drowning victims (48%) were 19 and younger, and 13.6% of those incidents occurred in pools. To help protect your family this summer, we spoke with three experts on the front lines of water safety, and their message is clear: water emergencies are fast, silent and preventable. So here are five things they wish every parent would stop doing and one life- saving habit they wish you'd start. 1. Stop assuming drowning is loud or obvious One of the most dangerous misconceptions parents have is that they'll hear splashing or cries for help if their child is in distress. "Drowning is quiet and fast. A child can slip under right next to people and not be noticed. Parents think, 'I'll hear it if some- thing's wrong,' but you usually won't," said a local firefighter, who responds to water-related emergencies in Stafford and Prince William counties. He requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of his work. In reality, a child can become submerged and in distress in as little as 20 to 60 seconds. Taylor Pohanka, founder of Otter-ly Safe Infant Aquatics who spe- cializes in foundational self-rescue for infants and toddlers, agreed. "Many assume they will see it happening, but drowning is still and silent," she said. "To an untrained eye, it can look like a child is simply playing or bobbing underwater." EXPERT ADVICE: Don't rely on noise or splashing as warning signs. 2. Stop multitasking when kids are in the water Even with the best intentions, parents can some- times be easily distracted. A glance at your phone or a quick conversation with another parent can be enough time for an accident to happen. For Ryan Hoy, a veteran lifeguard and certified Red Cross water-safety instructor for Woodlands Pool, he sees this behavior daily. "I see many parents with young, weak swimmers go on their phone or sunbathe without monitoring their children, assuming shallow water or flotation devices will keep them safe," he said. Pohanka said that "supervision requires an unobstructed view and being close enough to reach the child instantly." Many drownings happen when kids aren't supposed to be in the water, making constant vigilance essential when you are close to the water's edge. EXPERT ADVICE: Put your phone away. If you aren't close enough to touch them, you aren't close enough to save them.

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