Introduction
Promotional Materials
Dear Caregivers and Parents,
There's nothing more important to you and me than the safety and well being of your children. We all want to do all we can to protect your children from accidental injury, or worse, a tragic loss of life.
Summer should be a time for fun. But each year in Texas, we are faced with a growing number of accidental child deaths, all of which could have been prevented. During 2006, about 70 Texas children drowned. In addition during 2006, Texas led the nation with six hot car child deaths.
None of these children would have died if their adult caregivers had been vigilant when it comes to children and safety around water or in cars.
Water recreation is a great way to beat the summer heat. But being near water can be very dangerous, especially for children. Children, particularly toddlers who are just starting to move around and explore, are attracted to water because it's fun. At the same time, they don't realize how something so enjoyable can also be so deadly. Drownings can occur in both large and small amounts of water: ponds, creeks, pools, spas, drainage ditches, as well as bathtubs, buckets, and even commodes. It only takes a few minutes for a child to drown. Never leave them unsupervised around water both inside and outside of the house.
It's hard to imagine having to warn parents or caregivers about leaving children alone in cars, especially during the heat of the summer. But many caring and responsible people can forget the silent or sleeping child in the backseat. Others do not realize the risks involved in leaving their children in the car and what begins as a quick errand can turn to tragedy in a matter of minutes. If children are trapped inside cars, especially during seriously hot weather, it can result in heat exhaustion or heat stroke, leading to permanent disability or death.
As the agency charged with protecting the unprotected, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services urges all parents and caregivers to remember to “see and save” their children, where they are near water or in unattended vehicles.
We encourage you to use these materials to increase public awareness in child-care facilities and throughout your community. You can also download and print materials from our web site at www.seeandsave.org.
Working together, we can keep children safe and summer fun for everyone.
Sincerely,
Carey D. Cockerell
Commissioner