Year: 2025 | Month: July | Volume: 12 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 258-263
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20250728
Preparedness for Preventing Drowning in Children During the Flood Disaster
Maryam Syifaurrahmah1, Mayetti2, Indra Ihsan3, Nice Rachmawati4
1Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia,
2Department of Maternal and Child, RSUP Dr. M. Djamil, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: Maryam Syifaurrahmah
ABSTRACT
Floods are natural disaster which often occurs in various regions. In the last five years, more than 2,000 floods have been recorded throughout Indonesia. Disaster risk assessment data in West Sumatra in 2022 stated that Padang City has a high risk of incidents, especially floods. Banuaran village, which is located in Lubuk Begalung, is one of the areas that recorded four flood incidents in the last year with the highest damage in the city of Padang. The study revealed that the majority of subjects were predominantly female and were in the adult age range. In terms of knowledge, the majority of respondents considered that not having life jackets is the main reason why children drown. During a flood children must be placed on high ground. The most appropriate way to prevent drowning is not to let children play around the river, the right age to teach swimming is 6 years old, by means of swimming lesson. Most of them already knew the evacuation places if there was a flood disaster. The best way to prevent drowning is to create a barrier with water.
The most important factor in avoiding drowning during a disaster flooding is not letting children play near rivers, education about safety during floods. Some of the results of these respondents are consistent with WHO guidelines, every family member should have an emergency kit, an emergency plan, and immediately save themselves when a flood occurs, and feel very confident to save themselves during a flood disaster. Efforts to prevent drowning in children during floods require a comprehensive approach involving multi-sectoral approach. The role of pediatricians in efforts to prevent includes identifying high-risk groups for incidents of drowning, special needs children, and working with policymakers, etc. These efforts are hoped will minimize the risk of child death due to drowning.
Keywords: Drowning, Prevention, Children, Readiness.
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