Summertime fun usually includes water activities which can be very refreshing in the unbearable heat of St. Louis summers. Without proper supervision and safety precautions, this type of summertime fun can turn into tragedy in a matter of seconds.

My sister told me about a young man who drowned recently. The irony of the terrible death of this young man is that he was attempting to save a child from drowning. This situation occurs often, especially during the summer.

The number one cause of death of children from the age of 1 to 4 is drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to that same federal agency, there were 84 drowning deaths in Missouri in 2007.

Most of the drowning victims were between the ages of 5 and 14. The fact that most of these deaths could have been prevented is the really sad thing.

My sister and I would take her kids to public pools and water parks when they were younger.

Because I don't know how to swim, I do not get into pools or other bodies of waters without lifeguards on duty. It is surprising how many parents allow their children to get into pools at hotels or apartment complexes knowing that there is no lifeguard.

Even more surprising is that the parents do so knowing that their children are unable to swim. And, furthermore, when the fun in the sun turns tragic, some parents are on the sidelines screaming and crying for help because they don't know how to swim themselves.

The heartache and pain of losing a child to drowning can be prevented in most cases by practicing good water safety habits and common sense.

If you want your children to really enjoy their playtime in the water, have them take swimming lessons. Make sure that there is a reasonable amount of adult supervision at the pool.

Take precautions to assure that small children do not have access to pools. A private pool at one's residence can be convenient, but it can also be deadly when it is not secured from children.

Parents, particularly those with private pools, should take water safety classes and CPR training to ensure the safety of their children.

It is important to note that the little floaties that children often wear are not water safety devices and provide a false sense of security to parents.

It is a threat to public safety for pools to operate without a lifeguard. This is serious matter which needs to be regulated.

Operating a public pool without a lifeguard is irresponsible. Swimming pools are generally open seasonally and so a lifeguard would only be needed for a few months.

The cost of employing a lifeguard could be built into the price of the hotel stay or monthly rent. Certainly no one would complain about paying a few extra dollars to protect precious lives. Anyone who has a problem with this idea should talk to the parents of a child who has drowned.

Tyronica Dowdy is a legal assistant and office manager with a law firm. She is studying to be a registered dietician. The Ferguson resident also enjoys sewing, cooking and dancing.