Water Recreation

Summer Water Safety

NOWCASTING Beach Advisories for Huntington Beach

Water Quality Data for all CCBH Bathing Beaches*

Bathing Beach Program Information

Live Images from Hungtinton Beach-Cam - Updates on the minute!

Pool Safety in Your Backyard

Prevention Adviser-Hyperventilating

Water Safety-Did you Know

Beaches

Note: For water quality data for non-CCBH bathing beaches, including Edgewater Beach, Euclid Beach, Villa Angela Beach, Camp Perry, Port Clinton, Catawba Island, South Bass Island, East Harbor, Kelleys Island, Lakeside, Lakeview Beach, Century Beach, Mentor Headlands, Fairport Harbor, Geneva State Park, Walnut Beach, Lakeshore Park, and Conneaut Township Park, please visit the Ohio Department of Health website.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health would like to remind you to be safe near recreational water.  Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in children 1-14 years of age.  For every drowning there are 4 "near drowning cases that may results in permanenet brain damage for a child.   Toddlers and adolescent boys have the highest risk of drowning.  For more infomration on water safety for children visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

*The evaluation of water sample results is based on the “bathing waters” standard for recreational use as specified in Rule 3745-1-07 of the Ohio Administrative Code.  The standard for E. coli content indicates that the E. coli content shall not exceed 235 E. coli colonies per 100 ml of beach water tested.

POOL SAFETY AT HOME

With the summer of 2008 here, many parents are preparing to open their pools for family enjoyment. In the spirit of prevention the Cuyahoga County Board of Health would like to increase the awareness of the risks associated with back yard pools. Statistics show that about 280 drowning deaths occur in children younger than 5 and an estimated 2,100 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms for pool submersion injuries in 2006.

In many instances parents are not aware that small inflatable pools which have recently gained popularity pose a significant risk to family members and neighbors. In most cases these pools are not bound by city ordinances and are purchased by consumers without considering the dangers posed when left unsupervised. Parents need to understand that any pool poses a drowning risk and those risks need to be considered prior to purchasing a pool. To reduce the risk of drowning, this office recommends that parents institute several layers of protection.

• Fences with self-closing gates
• Constant supervision
• Draining smaller pools when not in use
• Knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and an emergency phone with the number for the fire department can assist in a quick response and save lives.

Please be aware that in many drowning incidents, the pool is that last place parent’s look, often losing precious time. Parents often think that if a child falls in the water they will hear splashing, and screaming, and that they will be able to come to the rescue. Many times, however, children slip under the water silently. Precious time is wasted looking for missing children anywhere but in the pool. Always look in the pool first.

No one single layer of protection is foolproof to prevent accidents but incorporating several layers of protection will help ensure that the summer of 2008 is a safe and enjoyable.

For further information please review the following website.
www.Drowingprevention.com