GOV. DOYLE PROCLAIMS POOL SAFETY WEEK

MADISON – Gov. Jim Doyle has proclaimed the week of May 27-June 1, 2007 as Pool Safety Week in Wisconsin to highlight the need for safe practices in and around Wisconsin’s many public swimming pools and water attractions.


 


Wisconsin enjoys wonderful resources for water recreation,” said Department of Commerce Secretary Mary P. Burke. “Records show that we’re making good progress in keeping our children safe around pools, but let’s be sure again this summer that our children have close adult supervision in or around water.”            


            Secretary Burke added that although pool drowning deaths have declined for the past three years, drowning is the number-one cause of death for children under five.


            National research has shown that in 77 percent of child drownings, the child was out of sight for five minutes or less. Secretary Burke noted that public swimming facilities play a significant role in summer recreation in Wisconsin with more than 3,000 licensed public swimming pools and spas in the state, making pool safety an important issue.


 


The departments of Commerce and Health and Family Services have developed a brochure to increase awareness of pool safety. The brochure is available at local health departments and to members of the pool and lodging industries. The brochure also can be found at the Department of Commerce Safety and Building Division Web site at:   http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-HomePage.html


 


There is a poster and also a one-minute pool safety public service announcement available on the Health and Family Services website at:  http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/fsrl/pubs/index.htm#Recreation