The drowning stats for February 2022 have been released and already things are looking positive. Our numbers versus last year in February are showing a promising drop. Keep reading to learn more about the drowning stats for last month.
What are these Statistics?
In the beginning of each month, the national drowning stats are compiled. These numbers are then compared to the previous 13 years of drowning statistics.
As our regular readers are aware, the Life Saver Pool Fence Safety Blog has always proudly shared statistics and maps provided to us by Total Aquatic Programming. These numbers can help to shine a light on possible drowning trends or gaps in public knowledge.
As mentioned in our last post, Total Aquatic Programming has announced that they’ve joined forces with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance Board of Directors.
Together, these organizations have been collecting drowning data since 2008. Through careful research, they offer the most comprehensive drowning data possible. According to their webpage, this process involves about 1,100-man hours per year. Information is power and the drowning stats for February 2022 are an excellent tool for any drowning water safety expert.
Thanks to the provided numbers and charts, water safety experts can discover patterns of behavior that may be contributing to an increase in drownings. The detailed analysis, available on Total Aquatic Programming’s website, is extremely helpful for picking up on recent trends.
For example, these charts and maps may show an uptick in drownings for a particular age group, activity, or location. Taking time to fully explore these drowning stats and maps can provide water safety experts with the data needed to recognize potential dangers and adjust safety education accordingly.
The basic drowning stats for February 2022 track more than 15 separate items from every drowning that occurs throughout the country.
These items include, but are not limited to:
- date
- state
- city
- county
- age and gender of the victim
- ethnicity, if recorded
- body of water in which the drowning occurred
- and several other circumstances that can help to provide some guidance in the prevention of future drownings.
If you are interested in learning more about one of the people behind this data, watch our full Child Safety Source interview with Total Aquatic Programming’s Mick Nelson.
Chart: Drowning Stats for February 2022
As mentioned in the introduction, we’re seeing a good change this year versus February 2021. That said, this isn’t a total victory. For example, these numbers are is still significantly higher than February 2020. Now, it should be noted that February 2020 was also a cold month during the height of an unsure pandemic situation. It is possible that many people were unaware at that point that swimming tends to be a poor transmitter of Covid-19.
Coming back to the drowning stats for February 2022, there is still cause for positivity. While not the lowest numbers ever, the incidents are lower in all categories versus last year. In fact, they are lower than most of the months recorded.
Cold weather can bring unique water safety dangers. Between thin ice and wintery conditions, it pays to take extra care during this time of year.
