According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there has not been a single death in a public pool or spa due to entrapment, entanglement, or evisceration since VGB went into effect. Abbey’s Hope strongly recommends that parents share water supervision responsibilities with other parents, which is why the foundation created the “Water Watchdog Tag” system. The supervising parent or adult wears the “Water Watchdog Tag” until he or she passes the responsibility and the tag on the next parent or adult. Find out more about Abbey’s Hope at abbeyshope.org. Or reach out to Alison Petri, Abbey’s Hope Program Manager at alison@abbeyshope.org.
The adult wearing the tag pledges: • To
maintain constant visual contact with the children in the designated group (even if a lifeguard is present).
• Not
to drink alcohol, use a phone, socialize or read while watching children.
• To
keep a phone near the water for emergency purposes.
• Remain
by the water until relieved by a new Water Watchdog.
To receive a free Water Watchdog tag, go the AbbeysHope.org and sign the pledge to protect children. Together, with the proper education and safety precautions, we can prevent the preventable.
Summer 2021 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 29
