BERWICK, Pa. -- Swimming pools can be a parent's worst fear. Just this past weekend, a 2-year-old child died after an apparent drowning in Salem Township.
Newswatch 16 spoke with people at Ber Vaughn Pool in Berwick about their concerns.
"We're just that added layer of protection to make sure that everyone is safe, protected, and having fun," says lifeguard Tianna Belles.
Summertime and sweltering temperatures are what pack the pool. On a hot day, it's the best way to cool down, but there's always a lingering cloud of the dangers that lurk in the water.
"If I didn't know the basic CPR, if I didn't know how to swim, I wouldn't be at the pool at all with my child. I wouldn't leave her unattended. If I didn't know there was an adult there that knew those basics," says Pamela Gronsky of Hazleton.
According to the CDC, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional death for children between the ages of 1 and 4. Pool safety is a hot topic in the summer months and when a child dies due to drowning, it raises parents' awareness.
"I feel like they feel a little safer knowing that there's a lifeguard here taking care of everybody, but at the same time adults need to teach their kids about water safety and the stuff we need to do just to keep them educated about drownings and to prevent them in general," says lifeguard Maria Segura.
Lots of people tend to use public pools instead of private pools for the benefit of having a lifeguard on duty. Lifeguards here say it's not just kids that have to worry about being safe.
"If you are swimming all day and you're tired, who's to say you could be the best swimmer and you could still have an issue in the water. So it's always to read your body, understand how tired you are and if you need to take a rest," continued Belles.
"Always keep an eye on your children and also try and keep your phone away. Don't play on your phone. I know it's distracting sometimes, but it can cause a lot of problems if you don't pay attention to your kids and you're always looking at your phone or distracted at something else," says Ashley Piland of Berwick.
Knowing how to prevent an accident can help save a life. For pool safety tips, see the video below or click here to find a CPR class near you.