It has been a hot summer with temperatures regularly reaching 90 degrees. If scalding summer days send you and your family searching for relief in swimming pools, lakes, or beaches along Connecticut’s coast, keep in mind that any body of water, no matter how small, can be deadly to those who are too young to or don’t know how to swim.

Drowning deaths are relatively rare in Connecticut and actually have decreased from 28 to 20 during the past four years, but nationwide rates are rising.

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control, more than 4,500 individuals drowned accidentally in the United States in 2020, 2021 and 2022, about 10% more than in 2019, when some 4,000 accidental drowning deaths occurred.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, an age group that had a 28% increase in drowning fatalities between 2019 and 2022, the CDC reports. Meanwhile, the second-highest rate of drowning occurred among adults aged 65 and older, the report says.

What’s behind this rise in drownings?

In part, it is the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered many public pools, limiting the availability of swim lessons and lifeguard training. Pools that have reopened are still experiencing shortages of lifeguards and trained swimming instructors, who typically teach children how to swim. Adding to this spike could be the unaffordability of swim instruction in some communities or other types of inaccessibility, as well as the fear of water or discomfort in swimwear.

Such barriers may explain why more than half of U.S. adults say they cannot swim, while an estimated 40 million report never having taken a swimming lesson. This includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Black, Hispanic and older Americans who have the highest drowning death rates or percentage increases in drowning death rates.

Another major risk factor for drowning, especially among teens and adults, is alcohol use, which can impair their judgement about entering the water.

Not all drownings result in death. Non-fatal drownings, which can cause severe injuries such as brain damage, heart or lung problems, are double the rates of what drowning deaths are.

How can you teach and practice water safety?

Practicing water safety is the best way to reduce drowning injuries and deaths. Here are a few tips to practice water safety:

• Learn how to swim and make sure your children or young loved ones have access to swimming lessons.
• If you are the parent of an infant, never leave them unattended, especially if they cannot sit up on their own. They can drown simply by turning onto their tummy in a nearly, but not quite empty tub or pool.
• Children of all ages need close and constant supervision in the water.
• A fence that is at least four feet high and has self-closing gate must surround any pool where children swim.
• If you or your child cannot swim, then you should wear a life jacket when boating or anywhere near water.
• Emphasize to your teens the importance of water safety, especially not drinking alcohol, using other substances, or behaving recklessly near or in water.
• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It can help you save a life.