With Florida having the second highest number of drowning deaths in the nation, Central Florida Drowning Prevention & Water Safety Coalition teamed up with Orange County Mayor, Richard Crotty and the YMCA of Central Florida to kick-off Water Safety Awareness Day on March 26 at the YMCA Aquatic Center.
Mayor Crotty, County Commissioner Linda Stewart and YMCA of Central Florida President, Jim Ferber joined swimmers and the health community to proclaim March 26th as Water Safety Awareness Day in an effort to focus attention on life-saving measures that make a difference.
The Coalition and their costumed character “Scooter” will be focused on creating water safety awareness that will save lives during the critical summer months.
Drowning is still the No. 1 cause of accidental death in children under the age of 4, while 84% of childhood drowning occurs in swimming pools and bathtubs.
“We hope to be able to save our community from childhood water related tragedies by teaching the importance of swim survival training” said YMCA of Central Florida CEO Jim Ferber. “Awareness is key to decreasing the number of drowning deaths in our community.”
The YMCA Aquatic Center, located at 8422 International Drive, is one of the largest and well-known 50-meter world record facilities in the country, and has been the training site for many of the U.S. Olympic athletes and nationally competitive teams since 1994. With three indoor pools, Central Florida’s only indoor dive well, a retractable roof, and over one million gallons of water; the training facility is committed to swimming safety and accessibility for all.
On May 26, 2004 Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty reinstated the Central Florida Drowning Prevention & Water Safety Coalition.
For information go to www.stopadrowning.com
