It’s a statewide campaign that attempts to encourage awareness and action.

This year marks the eighth annual Drowning Impact Awareness Month, coordinated by Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Drowning is a top cause of injury-related death for children in Arizona between the ages of 1 and 5. This year in Maricopa County alone, 13 of the 70 children involved in water-related incidents have died.

Area aquatic centers and fire stations are distributing purple ribbons to raise awareness.

In Scottsdale, El Dorado and McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Centers will host a water safety day on Saturday, August 6. For more information, call 480-312-2484.

Although drownings don’t always lead to deaths, those who survive often require long-term care. Watch our video as Lesia Crawford tells the story of her brother, Andrew Hill, who survived after he fell into a swimming pool more than 20 years ago.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgibmo-8A14&hd=1]

Tags: Arizona, arizona drowning, Cardon Children's Medical Center, childhood death, childhood injury, drowning, drowning impact awareness, near-drowning, non-fatal drownings, Parenting, Phoenix Children's Hospital, purple ribbon drowning, Raising Arizona Kids, Scottsdale Fire Department, water accidents, water safety

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