Today is National Emergency Medical Services for Children Day, which is a day that local communities and medical personnel focus on raising public awareness about the need for specialized emergency care for children.

According to the Emergency Medical Services for Children National Resource Center, at least 30 million children receive emergency care each year. To be better prepared, it is best to:

• learn the right number to call in an emergency. It is 9-1-1 in most parts of the country, but not all.
• have a well-stocked first-aid kit
• make a list of emergency phone numbers
• make sure your house number is visible from the street
• keep your child's immunizations up-to-date and keep that record with you
• keep a record of your child's medical conditions and any medications he takes, including dosages
• make a list of all allergies that your child has
• take a first-aid class, which will teach your CPR and how to perform the Heimlich maneuver, etc.

It can also be a good idea to make sure your street is easy to find, especially if you live in a rural area. And if you live very far from the city, check with the local ambulance service to see their procedure for picking people up that live far away.

Related:
National EMSC Day
Learn CPR
Creating a First Aid Kit
Emergency Information Checklist
Important Phone Numbers and Hotlines

The CDC issued a new report on drowning this week, highlighting the fact that drowning remains "the leading cause of injury death among children aged 1-4 years."

Not surprisingly, there are many stories of drowning in this week's Saturday Safety Roundup, including:

• a 2-year-old boy in Russels Point, Ohio who drowned in an above-ground backyard pool while visiting his grandmother. He had wandered away for a minute and fell in the pool, which was flush with a deck.
• a 2-year-old in Lansing, Michigan who drowned in a backyard pond behind his family's home. His grandfather had fallen asleep and the toddler got out of the house, even though the doors were locked.
• an 11-year-old girl in Bolingbrook, Illinois who drowned in a pond after jumping from a footbridge with a group of kids, even though she couldn't swim. She drowned the second time that the kids jumped from the bridge.
• a 17-year-old boy in Wilmer, Alabama who drowned in Citronelle Lake while swimming with friends on Mother's Day. He had signaled for help, but his friends thought he was joking. By the time that they got to him, they couldn't find him.
• a 13-year-old in Louisville, Kentucky who drowned in a creek behind his neighborhood
• an 18-month-old in Yakima, Washington who drowned in an irrigation canal about 100 yards from a home he was visiting with his family. He had been missing for just a few minutes before the family started searching for him and called 911.
• a 4-year-old boy with autism in Westborough, Massachusetts who drowned in the murky water of an apartment swimming pool after wandering away from his home. The pool is surround by a 6-foot-tall chain link fence with a locked gate, but the boy was able to go under the fence.
• a 6-year-old in Merced, California who drowned in Dawn Lake after the raft he was riding on tipped over. He had apparently moved out of a shallow part of the lake when he drowned.

Little things can help prevent tragedies, like teaching your kids survival swimming skills, removing the ladder or steps whenever you get out of your above-ground pool, fencing in your pool, and making young children who can't swim well wear a coast guard approved life-jacket instead of floaties.

And unfortunately, there were other tragedies and accidents too, including:

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About 330,000 crib and play yard tents made by Tots in Mind, Inc. are being recalled because of strangulation and entrapment hazards.

There have been at least 27 reports of tent failures. These reports include the death of a two-year-old boy who became entrapped between his tent and play yard and a two-year old boy who sustained a catastrophic brain injury when his crib tent inverted and a broken rod trapped him at the neck.

Although first recalled in 2010, the company has since gone out of business, so the repair kit for the tents is no longer available. Five retailers are now offering a refund or store credit to consumers who bought a Tots in Mind Crib Tent or Play Yard Tent at:

• Amazon.com [Amazon.com]
• Bed Bath & Beyond / Buy Buy Baby [bedbathandbeyond.com or buybuybaby.com or (800) GOBEYOND]
• Burlington Coat Factory [burlingtoncoatfactory.com or (888) 223-2628]
• Toys R Us/Babies R Us [toysrus.com or babiesrus.com or (800) 869-7787]
• Walmart [walmartstores.com or (800) 925-6278]

If you have and especially if you still using one of these tents, be sure to stop using it as they are dangerous. The recall includes the Tots in Mind Portable Playard Tent, Original Cozy Crib Tent, Cozy Crib Tent II, Crib Tent for Convertible Cribs, and the Portable Playard Tent plus Cabana Kit.

Related:
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
CPSC Tots in Mind Crib and Play Yard Tent Recalls
CPSC Tots in Mind Playard Tent Recall
Strangulation Hazards - Hidden Dangers
Moving to a Toddler Bed

Safe swimming isn't just about prevent drownings.

You also want to make sure your kids stay healthy while they are swimming and that they don't get other people sick. But how do people learn about healthy swimming?

A new report from the CDC, "Promotion of Healthy Swimming After a Statewide Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis Associated with Recreational Water Venues - Utah, 2008-2009," discusses the impact of a multimedia healthy swimming campaign in the state, a campaign that helped residents of Utah do a better job than residents of other states answer questions like:

• Is it okay to swim if you have diarrhea?
• Does chlorine kill germs instantly?
• Is pool water quality the same as drinking water?
• Could an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis be prevented if all pools are well maintained?

In case you are wondering, the answer to all of those questions is 'no.'

Because chlorine does not kill germs instantly, you should not go swimming if you have diarrhea and you should not swallow water that you are swimming in. Other healthy swimming habits include washing your hands after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, showering or bathing with soap before getting in the pool, and taking young children on frequent bathroom breaks so that they don't go in the water.

The 2007 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Utah got at least 5,700 people sick. Unfortunately, it isn't the only outbreak we have seen in recent years. There were also large outbreaks in North Texas, Idaho, and Pennsylvania.

Many people overlook the fact that kids can get sick from the germs in the water of pools, lakes, and water parks. Taking some simple steps can help keep your kids -- and everyone else -- safe while swimming.

Related:
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
Swimming - Staying Safe and Healthy
Cryptosporidium
Controlling Crypto Outbreaks
CDC - Six Steps for Healthy Swimming