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Drowning can happen quietly and in under 30 seconds, according to a water-safety feature published Aug. 4 by Connection Newspapers that highlights prevention and emergency response guidance from Northern Virginia professionals.

Dr. Miriam Fischer, a MedStar Health emergency physician who previously worked in the Emergency Department at Inova Fairfax Hospital, said drowning often does not look the way bystanders expect.

“People envision somebody flopping their arms and screaming for help. That’s not how it usually happens,” Fischer said.

The guidance emphasizes assigning a specific adult to supervise children continuously during water activities. That person should put away their phone and focus on the children in their care.

“You really need to designate a person assigned to watch each child at every moment,” Fischer said.

Swimming ability can reduce risk, Fischer said, but it does not eliminate the possibility of drowning, including for strong swimmers. Families should also use properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, install or maintain pool barriers and gates, know where emergency equipment is located and identify lifeguards when they are present.

The article also states that Virginia law requires one properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for every person aboard specified watercraft, including boats, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and personal watercraft.

Damian Cook, an Arlington CPR instructor, said fear of making a mistake can keep bystanders from responding when someone is in trouble.

“People worry they’re going to do something wrong. But the worst thing you can do is nothing,” Cook said.

Fischer said immediate CPR after a child is removed from the water can significantly improve the outcome.

“The one thing I’d want to stress about drowning is that immediate CPR makes a huge impact and really saves lives,” she said.

Her advice in an emergency is direct: “If you see a child struggling in the water, pull them out and start CPR. You can save their life.”

The feature attributes national child-drowning statistics to the CDC, stating that drowning is the leading cause of death for U.S. children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14.

“My goal as an ER doctor is to make sure parents never have to experience this,” Fischer said.