Seminole County FD Provides Drowning Prevention Education to Residents

Since the beginning of 2022, the Seminole County (Florida) Fire Department (SCFD) has already responded to four pediatric drowning calls. Last year, SCFD responded to a total of six pediatric drowning calls.

In 2021, Florida reported the most child drownings in the last 12 years, increasing nearly 30%.

To help provide resources to the public on drowning prevention, SCFD recently partnered with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County, Goldfish Swim School, and community partners and other municipal fire departments to help educate the public.

Every one of SCFD’s 20 fire stations will have drowning prevention resource packets available to the public to pick up, and crews will have informational packets on trucks to give out to the public as they run calls.

Joining the event were Chris and Christina Martin and their family, and Jen Peacock, who helped make packets. They also spoke to the media about layers of prevention.

The Peacock family lost their 2-year-old son Wesley to a pool drowning two years ago, and the Martin family lost their 2-year-old son Gunner to a pool drowning in 2016.

Drowning Prevention Tips

Layers of protection can prevent drowning tragedies.

Supervision. The first and most crucial layer of protection, supervision means that someone is always actively watching when a child is in or near a pool.

Barriers. A child should never be able to enter the pool area unaccompanied by a guardian. Barriers physically block a child from a pool. Barriers include childproof locks on all doors, a pool fence with self-latching and self-closing gates, and door and pool alarms. Pool covers may also be used, but make sure it is a professional cover, fitted for the pool. A simple canvas covering can be a drowning hazard and entrap a child in the water.

Emergency preparedness. The moment a child stops breathing, there is a small window of time in which resuscitation may occur. Everyone should learn CPR. The techniques are easy to learn and can mean the difference between life and death.