Chicago Urged to Prioritize Water Safety Amid Summer Drowning Risks
As Chicago's summer season begins, concerns about water safety at the city's beaches and pools are being highlighted. According to a recent opinion piece by Chuka Onuh and Dr. Amy Hanson, drowning remains a leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional death for children aged 5 to 14. The authors emphasize that drowning incidents often occur silently and can happen within seconds. They also point out that over 40 million Americans cannot swim, with children from low-income households disproportionately affected. The lack of access to affordable swimming lessons, particularly in Chicago's South and West Side neighborhoods, exacerbates the risk. The authors call for expanded swim lesson programs, improved lifeguard staffing, and multilingual water safety alerts to address these issues. 
