Tucson – August is Drowning Impact Awareness Month. There is just over a month left in this year’s swim season and this is the time when people let their guard down.
Kids will be back in school soon and will bring a lot of distractions which takes our attention away from the water.
Tracy Koslowski with Safe Kids Pima County and Drexel Heights Fire Department invited Kristi’s Kids to a recent water safety presentation.
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, AZ – An autopsy says a Colorado woman whose body was recovered from a river at the Grand Canyon in March accidentally drowned.
Kaitlin Anne Kenney, of Englewood, was reported missing Jan. 12 from a private rafting trip. She last was seen at a camp near Tapeats Creek on the north side of the Colorado River and an extensive search turned up no sign of her.
Kenney’s body was found March 22 about 30 river miles from where she was reporting missing.
Coconino County officials said Friday that the medical examiner’s autopsy report lists the cause of death as drowning and the manner as accidental.
The river trip was Kenney’s first at the Grand Canyon. Kenney’s mother believes her daughter fell into the river at nighttime, possibly trying to use the restroom.
As summer inches closer,health officials are starting to warn about the drowning dangers that couldcome with combining kids and pools.
Happening today is a watersafety event for first graders in Pima County, at the Mulcahy YMCA. The building is quiet early this morning, butlater on throughout the day it will be filled with almost 800 first graderslearning how to be safe around the water.
It’s a program to try toprevent drowning with some of our youngest; specifically reaching out to nineschools from under-served areas, who may not have access to any other kind ofwater education. It is put on by theTucson Medical Center and “ﾘSafe Kids Pima County.’
The children will goinside the center and cycle through eight stations with different lessons, likemessages about water rescue, open water, staying smart in the sun and doing theright thing around pools.
So far this year inArizona, there have been six deaths in water-related incidents. The county is hoping to keep that number aslow as possible, starting with the program this morning.
Scottsdale Fire Department was called to the scene of a non-fatal drowning Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency.
A family visiting from Washington state with triplet 2-year-old girls were at the pool when the father discovered one of the girls face down in the pool area.
When Scottsdale Fire arrived, the girl was blue and lethargic. She had regained consciousness and was crying.
The toddler was treated and transported to Scottsdale Healthcare Shea in stable condition.
Public safety, health officials and volunteers will walk Mesa neighborhoods Saturday as part of the annual Walk for Water Safety. Participants will distribute 5,000 water safety bags door-to-door.
The event starts at 8 a.m. at Dobson Ranch Library, 2425 S. Dobson Road.
Arizona ranks number two in the nation for childhood drownings. It is the leading cause of injury death for Arizona’s children ages 1-5. But most people do not realize that there are twice as many fatal adult drownings as fatal child drownings in the state each year.
In 2012 there were more than 103 child drowning incidents resulting in 21 deaths, and more than 66 adult/teen drowning incidents resulting in 41 deaths.
The Walk for Water Safety Campaign is a drowning prevention program started in 2007, by Cardon Children’s Medical Center/ Mesa Fire and Medical Department. The Campaign is now statewide and provides bags of drowning prevention materials to communities throughout Arizona.
A trip to MIT is one of many opportunities for students at Arizona’s only all-girls public high school after their invention was recognized.
Twenty-three high school girls in Jessica Horton’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) class at the Girls Leadership Academy of Arizona (GLAAZ) were delighted to learn last fall that they were one of only 16 schools in the nation to receive the 2013 Lemelson-MIT Program InvenTeam grant.
As the only school in Arizona to win, the $7,500 grant has helped them develop the prototype for a unique drowning prevention T-shirt for toddlers called the “WataWescue.”
Now 10 of the GLAAZ students – the core development team – will travel to the 2013 EurekaFest which is held at MIT (in Boston) to showcase the prototype to other STEM students, professors and industry professionals.
The Invention The prototype continues to evolve through testing, but includes a light weight t-shirt for toddlers that automatically inflates if the child falls in the water. It also has an alarm to alert parents. Twenty-six students have split into individual teams to focus and finalize on each of the prototype’s components including Alarm Research, Garment Construction, Inner Tube Design, Logo Design, Communications and Public Relations, Trigger and Mechanics, and Finances. Numerous science, engineering and health professionals around Phoenix are advising the students and facilitating testing of the final prototype. * The name WataWescue was inspired by the speech of young children that often have trouble saying “Rs.”
Public School Tuition, Private School Opportunities The InvenTeam project is just one example of how GLAAZ’s academic mission applies the work of the school to real life. Drowning prevention in Phoenix is significant to the students, many whose families have been impacted by near-drownings.
The school provides all students additional opportunities to participate in academic experiences more typical in a private school setting like free college courses beginning freshman year, numerous scholarships, public speaking, leadership development and more. The faculty are highly gifted instructors with a passion helping the young woman apply their schooling for ongoing academic success.
Enrollment for Fall 2013 is now open for young woman throughout the valley that are looking for focused learning, college prep, leadership development and scholarship opportunities. Call (602) 288-4518 or visit www.glaaz.org to set up a tour or learn more.
A trip to MIT is one of many opportunities for students at Arizona’s only all-girls public high school after their invention was recognized.
Twenty-three high school girls in Jessica Horton’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) class at the Girls Leadership Academy of Arizona (GLAAZ) were delighted to learn last fall that they were one of only 16 schools in the nation to receive the 2013 Lemelson-MIT Program InvenTeam grant.
As the only school in Arizona to win, the $7,500 grant has helped them develop the prototype for a unique drowning prevention T-shirt for toddlers called the “WataWescue.”
Now 10 of the GLAAZ students – the core development team – will travel to the 2013 EurekaFest which is held at MIT (in Boston) to showcase the prototype to other STEM students, professors and industry professionals.
The Invention The prototype continues to evolve through testing, but includes a light weight t-shirt for toddlers that automatically inflates if the child falls in the water. It also has an alarm to alert parents. Twenty-six students have split into individual teams to focus and finalize on each of the prototype’s components including Alarm Research, Garment Construction, Inner Tube Design, Logo Design, Communications and Public Relations, Trigger and Mechanics, and Finances. Numerous science, engineering and health professionals around Phoenix are advising the students and facilitating testing of the final prototype. * The name WataWescue was inspired by the speech of young children that often have trouble saying “Rs.”
Public School Tuition, Private School Opportunities The InvenTeam project is just one example of how GLAAZ’s academic mission applies the work of the school to real life. Drowning prevention in Phoenix is significant to the students, many whose families have been impacted by near-drownings.
The school provides all students additional opportunities to participate in academic experiences more typical in a private school setting like free college courses beginning freshman year, numerous scholarships, public speaking, leadership development and more. The faculty are highly gifted instructors with a passion helping the young woman apply their schooling for ongoing academic success.
Enrollment for Fall 2013 is now open for young woman throughout the valley that are looking for focused learning, college prep, leadership development and scholarship opportunities. Call (602) 288-4518 or visit www.glaaz.org to set up a tour or learn more.
PHOENIX — Every year, Valley children will die after drowning in backyard pools or these kids will be left permanently disabled from the lack of oxygen after being underwater for an extended period of time.
Unfortunately, the reality is there are some pool owners who are not responsible.
“I don’t believe people are paying enough attention to protecting their children from pool. They leave toys in the pool, they don’t close their gates or they don’t even have a gate,” said Lisa Sleezer, owner of Maddy’s Pool Supply and Service.
She said over the years, she’s seen these mistakes happen over and over.
“It always makes you feel uncomfortable. A lot of people are open to suggestions, others just don’t want to hear it,” said Sleezer.
Sleezer offers some useful tips for keeping children safe:
Make sure there is a pool barrier or fence: Surround the pool with fencing that is non-climbable. The gate should be self-closing and locked when not in use. No furniture should be near the fence to be used for climbing. No doors or windows should have access to the pool. If you need financial assistance in getting a fence, contact your local fire department or Save R Kids.
Know CPR: Make sure your skills are up to date. Understand the basics of life saving so you can assist in a pool emergency. Keep lifesaving equipment nearby.
Swimming lessons: This does not waterproof a child but will certainly give them a chance should they fall into the pool. Make sure they know how to turn over on their backs, float and yell for help.
Designated water watcher: Designate an adult to watch the water and pool area. Never leave children unattended around water, always have eye-to-eye supervision. Have a phone nearby at all times. If a child is missing, check the pool first.
Make sure compliant drain covers are installed: Entrapment caused by powerful suction from a pool or spa’s drain can trap a child or adult. Do not use a pool or spa if there are flat, broken or missing drain covers.
