Take steps to prevent your child from drowning

The American Press

<p class="p1">It’s about that time to pull out the swimsuit and pack the floaties for some quality family time by the water. </p><p class="p3">But there’s a darker side to the season of sun, and it has already taken effect here in Louisiana.</p><p class="p3">In March alone, 16 children died after drowning in a swimming pool, two of them in Louisiana, according to a recent USA Swimming Foundation study. </p><p class="p3">The numbers are only expected to rise as summer nears, prompting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to launch a Pool Safely campaign.</p><p class="p3">Below are simple steps released by the commission that families can follow to stay safer when spending time in or near the water this spring:</p><ul><li class="p3">Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa, and always watch your children closely around all bodies of water.</li><li class="p3">Designate a water watcher to supervise children in the pool or spa. This person should not be reading, using a smart phone or be otherwise distracted.</li><li class="p3">Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.</li><li class="p3">Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults.</li><li class="p3">Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.</li><li class="p3">Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards, and if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safe drain covers and ask your public pool if their drains are “VGB compliant.”</li></ul><p class="p3">It’s hard not to get distracted by the excitement of warmer weather and the chance to relax by the pool again. But families with little ones should take these suggestions to heart, especially in an area where lakes and swimming pools abound.</p><p class="p3">That’s why simple practices like designating someone to watch the young ones in shifts and introducing swimming lessons early are so important. It’s also worth noting that alcohol can seriously affect an adult’s ability to respond to a drowning situation.</p><p class="p3">Let’s keep summer safe and fun by remembering the gravity of pool safety as we head into the season.</p>

This editorial was written by a member of the <em>American Press</em> Editorial Board. Its content reflects the collaborative opinion of the board, whose members are <strong>Crystal Stevenson</strong>, <strong>John Guidroz</strong>, <strong>Emily Fontenot</strong>, retired editor <strong>Jim Beam</strong> and retired staff writer <strong>Mike Jones</strong>. 

      a2cfbfa6-eaeb-5812-b287-77ff0abf524e2018-11-03T05:00:00Zproperty management,latter & blum property management,chateau du lac,lake charles housing authority,regional manager,representative,executive director,ben taylor,northa linzer,mill st.news/local,newsLake Charles Housing Authority letting go of Chateau du LacLisaAddisonCrime and Courts Reporterhttps://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/4/39/103/439103f2-3a5d-11e7-8912-a70d9d672a56.269b42a392c68396b8cb8ae2e47fc9d8.pngResidents of Chateau du Lac began receiving letters this week informing them that after 35 years as managing agent for the downtown high-rise building, the Lake Charles Housing Authority has stepped down from that role effective immediately.

      The property at 333 Mill St., will be managed by Latter &amp; Blum Property Management.

      Residents were informed in the letter that they should take note of the following: continue to make their monthly rental payments at the management office at the property; make all maintenance requests the same way they have in the past; and any other property requests should be directed to Latter &amp; Blum’s Property Management office.

      The letter to residents of the facility was signed by Ben Taylor, executive director of the Lake Charles Housing Authority.

      In the letter, Taylor informed residents that "The Lake Charles Housing Authority is not the owner of the property, nor do we exercise any control over the housing. Thus, once the transition is made, we will be unable to assist or support residents at Chateau du Lac. We will strive to make this transition as seamless as possible and to ensure that Latter &amp; Blum has sufficient information to support its residents."

      The <em>American Press</em> attempted to reach Taylor but he was out of his office and unavailable for comment.

      A representative of Chateu du Lac, reached Friday afternoon, did not want to comment on the change in property management although she confirmed an agent of Latter &amp; Blum had been at the property that day assisting in the transition.

      Northa Linzer, a regional manager for Latter &amp; Blum, was not available for comment.””Chateau du LacGoogle Maps

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