Whether in the home, at the pool or on vacation, it is always important to keep safety in mind when children are in or near water.

Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death among children in California. In Kern County, 9 Kern County children lost their lives to accidental drowning between 2010 and 2012. Even a near-drowning incident can have lifelong consequences. Children who survive a near-drowning may have irreversible brain damage after 4 – 6 minutes under water.

June is Water Safety Month. Kern Cares, as a proud partner of the Kern County Water Safety Coalition, encourages all community members and organizations, this month and throughout the year, to practice water safety with the children of all ages.

The Kern County Network for Children (KCNC) invites the community to attend the following events:

• Kern Cares Spotlight on Child Water Safety at the KCNC General Collaborative Meeting on Thursday, June 19, 2014 with American Splash Swim School, a member of the Kern County Water Safety Coalition beginning at 8:30 am.

• Child Water Safety Workshop with Children’s Hospital of Central California from 9 am to 11:30 am in Bakersfield on June 25, 2014.  Register at http://conta.cc/1tMdA64

To help put a spotlight on what all of us can do to create safe water environments and prevent drowning, Kern Cares offers the guide How You Can Get Involved in Child Water Safety which outlines everyday ways to prevent this major cause of child death in Kern County.

The Kern Cares website (www.kerncares.org) and Kern Cares Facebook (www.facebook.com/kerncares) will also provide parents and community members with information, local resources and water safety education programs and events dedicated to reducing the number of Kern County children and youth injured or killed from drowning.

The protection of our children requires the involvement of the entire community. KCNC Children’s Advocacy Committee was formed in 2010 to help guide KCNC’s outreach and education efforts with the Kern Cares 2013/2014 Prevention Calendar. Guided by the Calendar, Kern Cares promotes community commitment and awareness to a specific child safety and well-being issue each month by sharing activities, information, resources and training opportunities with partner agencies, media, schools, faith communities, and families on that topic.