Parents urged to take water safety pledge
While the holiday hasn't offered Minnesotans much in the way of good swimming weather, Memorial Day weekend does mark the traditional opening of many public pools and beaches. WCCO-TV reports that a Twin Cities foundation is pushing parents to take a water safety pledge to keep their children safe when they are swimming or near a body of water.
Edina-based Abbey’s Hope is promoting the Water Watchdog Tag.
It is a tag that parents wear around the neck or wrist. The tag is designed to provide a physical reminder that parents should maintain constant visual contact with their children while they are near pools, lakes and streams.
In 2012, there were a record 39 drowning deaths in Minnesota. Drowning is the second leading cause of death in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.