City of Houston - Health Dept.

Submersion Injuries

With summertime approaching, the number of submersion injuries is expected to increase. The warm-weather months of May through August can be a dangerous time for swimmers in Houston. Fortunately, it appears the number of total drownings and near-drownings has decreased in 1998 from previous years. Last year, a total of 79 Houston cases were reported to the health department.The Bureau of Epidemiology has been collecting information about submersion injuries since 1994, when the Texas Department of Health designated these injuries as reportable conditions. Because of the high number of apartment pools and bayous in Houston, as well as the city's proximity to the Gulf and other natural bodies of water, it is especially important that all submersion injuries are reported. Drownings and near-drownings are mostly preventable; tracking these events will help in developing interventions and targeting high-risk areas and groups. For more information about reporting submersion injuries and infectious diseases in general, call (713)794-9181.

10 Golden Rules of Water Safety

Always make sure an adult is watching when a child is swimming.
Kids three and up should take swimming lessons.
Teach kids to look out for others and call for help when someone is in trouble.
Learn CPR and first aid, plus keep a phone by the pool.
Take a Coast Guard-approved life jacket if you're going to the lake, beach, or a pool party; don't depend on inflatable floaties.
Check the water-is it clear? Can you see the drain at the bottom of the pool?
Reach and throw, don't go-never try to save a friend from drowning by jumping in. Throw them something that floats or grab a pole that reaches out to them, and yell for help.
No diving in shallow water. Ask the lifeguard where it is safe to dive. Don't dive if there's no one there to ask.
Obey pool rules: no running, no eating or gum, no glass containers
Get out at the first sign of thunderstorms or lightning.

A submersion injury is counted as a Houston case based on either one of two criteria: 1) the patient resides within the city of Houston or 2) the event occurred within the city of Houston. The following tables and graphs summarize the Houston cases reported to the Bureau of Epidemiology. These numbers include Houston residents who experienced a submersion injury event in or out of Houston, as well as non-Houston residents who experienced an event inside the Houston limits.