Water-related incidents in Maricopa, Pinal counties down from last year

PHOENIX — The number of water-related incidents in Arizona’s two most populated counties is on track to be lower than last year.

The latest report by the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona shows a total of 71 water-related incidents in Maricopa and Pinal counties have been reported as of July 15.

Of those, 34 involve children and 17 involve adults.

“In looking at the numbers from the previous years, we are actually in better shape than we have been,” said Lori Schmidt, the coalition’s immediate past president.

Around this time last year, there were 79 water-related incidents.

The number of drownings of young children is also lower. So far this year, four children under the age of 5 have drowned, compared to eight around this time last year.

Schmidt said many of the children involved in water-related incidents are kids in swimsuits. She said that indicates “we have people poolside who are not watching the people in the water.”

“That’s really tragic,” she added. “We have to make assignments of who the lifeguard is going to be the whole time.”

It’s not just children who need constant supervision around water.

Some adults have drowned because of health-related issues, such as a heart attack or a stroke. Schmidt said that’s why it’s important for adults to also have someone there with them when they’re swimming.

She added most adults drown in lakes and rivers. One reason could be fatigue.

“As the day goes on and when we think that we can swim in that lake and we don’t have something that can hold us above the water, we have those kinds of tragedies,” she said, adding that it’s important to wear life jackets certified by the U.S. Coast Guard when swimming in lakes and rivers.

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