EVANSTON, Ill. () — With summer temperatures sending families to swimming pools, beaches and lakefronts, Illinois officials and water safety advocates are urging adults to be more intentional about keeping children safe near water through a renewed Water Watcher campaign.
Goldfish Swim School in Evanston is now distributing Water Watcher Tags, a simple safety tool designed to identify one adult whose sole responsibility is to monitor kids in and around the water.
“Drowning is an epidemic. It’s the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4,” said Sara Mesnard, director of operations for RJ Group/Goldfish Swim Schools.
Mesnard said the idea is straightforward but potentially lifesaving: make sure one grown-up is clearly assigned to keep eyes on the water at all times.
“It’s something that having someone who’s designated, their whole job is to watch the water, is so important. No distractions, no cell phones, not reading a book. Their entire job is just to watch the water and watch the kids in there,” Mesnard said.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is working with Lurie Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Illinois to promote the Water Watcher Tag campaign and remind families that active adult supervision is one of the most important parts of water safety.
Heidi Mueller, director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, said clearly defining an adult’s role can be especially important when every second counts.
“If something happens, having someone designated to call 911 can really mean the difference between life and death,” Mueller said.
Beginning next week, DCFS plans to distribute Water Watcher Tags along Chicago’s lakefront beaches as part of an effort to help families enjoy summer activities safely.
“We recognize people want to have fun and they want cool off. And we want them to enjoy themselves, and we really feel like by designating a water watcher you can take the guess work out of it,” Mueller said.
Safety advocates and state officials say that whether families use a tag or not, having a designated adult focused solely on watching the water and children can help make outings to pools and lakefronts safer.
Water Watcher Tags are available at Goldfish Swim Schools.
Visit dcfs.illinois.gov to print out a tag.
