Drowning Response and CPR for Pool Owners

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for Florida children ages 1–4 and a top cause for all ages through 14. Every pool owner and anyone regularly near a pool should know basic drowning response and CPR. Minutes matter — brain injury begins within 4–6 minutes of cardiac arrest.

Recognize a drowning person

Drowning rarely looks like the movies. A drowning person typically:

• Is vertical in the water with head back, mouth at or just below the surface
• Cannot call for help — they're using all effort just to breathe
• Arms are pressing down on the water, not waving overhead
• Eyes are glassy or unfocused, or closed
• Hair may be over the face with no attempt to clear it

Quiet, face-down in the water = unconscious drowning emergency. Act immediately.

Immediate response steps

1. Call 911 first (or have someone else call while you act)
2. Remove from the water — use a reaching pole, rope, or flotation device to avoid putting yourself at risk. Enter the water only if no other option.
3. Check responsiveness — tap shoulder, call their name. No response = begin CPR.
4. Begin CPR — do not delay to look for signs of life if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
5. Use an AED if available — many public pools are required to have them. Turn it on and follow voice prompts immediately.
6. Continue CPR until EMS arrives or person recovers

Adult CPR basics (untrained bystander)

• Position: flat on back on hard surface
• Hand placement: heel of both hands on center of chest (lower half of sternum)
• Compression depth: at least 2 inches, hard and fast
• Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute (beat of “Stayin' Alive”)
• Rescue breaths: if trained, 30 compressions : 2 breaths. If untrained, hands-only CPR is effective.

Child and infant CPR differences

• Child (1–8 years): Use one or two hands. Compress about 2 inches. Tilt head gently to open airway. Give rescue breaths (smaller puffs).
• Infant: Use two fingers on the center of the chest. Compress about 1.5 inches. Cover nose and mouth with your mouth for rescue breaths.

Get certified

CPR certification courses take 2–4 hours and are available through the American Red Cross and American Heart Association. Florida law (F.S. 515) encourages pool safety education and many community pools offer free courses. If you own a pool in Florida — especially with young children — certification is one of the most valuable things you can do.

The difference between brain damage and a full recovery is often how fast CPR starts. You don't need to be perfect — you need to start immediately and not stop until help arrives.