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Girls Leadership Academy of Arizona invention saves lives, takes them to MIT

 Water Related Incident Stories
Apr 192013
 

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.

via http://www.abc15.com/dpp/lifestyle/sonoran_living/girls-leadership-academy-of-arizona-invention-saves-lives-takes-them-to-mit#ixzz2Qw0egOkQ

10-year-old pulls toddler from backyard pool in Tempe

 Water Related Incident Stories
Apr 122013
 

A 13-month-old boy is lucky to be alive after falling into a backyard pool in Tempe Wednesday afternoon.

Tempe police spokesman Mike Pooley said the incident happened around 2:15 p.m. near Guadalupe and Kyrene Roads.

Pooley said the boy’s parents were outside assembling a play set and took part of their pool fence down.

The toddler who was outside playing with his 10-year-old sister somehow made it to the backyard and fell into the pool.

Pooley said the sister pulled her brother out of the pool and their parents called 911.

Authorities said the child was crying and alert when crews arrived but was transported to the hospital for observation.

via http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_southeast_valley/tempe/pd-10-year-old-pulls-toddler-from-backyard-pool-in-tempe

Body found in Tempe canal

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 272013
 

                  
TEMPE, Ariz. — Tempe police are trying to figure out what happened to a body they pulled out of the canal just south of U.S. 60 and Priest Drive on Sunday afternoon.

At around 4 p.m. police said a bicycle rider saw what she thought was a body floating in the Western Canal and called police.  Tempe police officers showed up to find a dead man in the water.

Police aren’t sure of the man’s age or how he died.  He had no identification and there were no obvious signs that he slipped or slid into the canal near where the body was found. Water in that area is about 10 feet deep.

Authorities at the scene also weren’t sure how long the man had been in the water but said it had been a fair amount of time.

The medical examiner will perform an autopsy this week and try to determine who the person is and how he died.

This is the second body found in a Valley canal in about a week.  Last Sunday Phoenix police found a dead man in the canal near 36th Street and Camelback Road.

The Western Canal multi-purpose path, which runs parallel to the canal, is a popular trail with walkers, runners and bicyclists.

via http://www.azfamily.com/news/Body-found-in-Tempe-canal-192936081.html

FD: Phoenix boy found ‘unresponsive’ in backyard pool

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 272013
 

PHOENIX – A 3-year-old boy is fighting for his life after being pulled from a backyard pool Sunday morning.

Phoenix Fire Department spokesman Jonathan Jacobs said the boy was found “unresponsive” in the pool near 24th Avenue and Union Hills.

Firefighters said the family had just finished eating breakfast when they realized the boy was missing.

Paramedics said the parents gave the child CPR before firefighters arrived. Jacobs said crews were on scene within three minutes of the call for help.

Officials said the back door to the home opens straight onto the patio and the pool area. They also said the pool is not fenced, and the doors do not have self-latching locks.

“I was in my bed and I heard an ambulance come and I heard a bang and I ran straight to my Grandma and we looked outside and there was… I can’t even describe it, it’s so sad,” said neighbor Mariah Graziani.

“You could hear her… a lot of screaming and crying. It was really hard. We were trying to figure out what was going on,” said Sandy Graziani.

The boy was transported to a local hospital where he remains in extremely critical condition.

via http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/FD-Phoenix-boy-found-unresponsive-in-backyard-pool#ixzz2OlXwfSdK

The Walk for Water Safety: Communities organize to prevent drownings

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 272013
 

It happens so fast, it leaves families devastated. Whether it be in a backyard pool, a lake, a canal, even a bathtub or a bucket of water”ﾓ preventable drownings are tragic, and they affect everyone.

Even though we live in the desert, the state of Arizona consistently ranks near the top for the number of drowning incidents in the nation.

Seven years ago, area safety and health professionals started the Walk to Water Safety, hoping to involve the community in raising awareness about drowning prevention.

Shannon Liebrock, board member of the Ryan Thomas Foundation is the aunt of Ryan Thomas, an ASU student  who drowned in 2008 in a boating accident on Lake Saguaro despite the fact that he was an accomplished swimmer.

In 2011, Cody Thomson lost his son Brenan, 6, when he drowned in a neighborhood canal.

Both Shannon and Cody share their stories in our RAK Video below, and talk about why they participate in the Walk for Water Safety: to spread the word to prevent others from suffering such unimaginable loss.

In neighborhoods throughout the Valley, volunteers of all ages will meet and then distribute water safety information as well as water-watcher bracelets in a door-to-door walk every spring. In 2013, the event takes place on Saturday, April 6.

Communities throughout Arizona ask volunteers to distribute water safety information in a door-to-door walk every spring.

In 2013, the event takes place on Saturday, April 6. Parents, grandparents, scouts, kids in strollers “ﾔ anyone can sign up to walk the neighborhoods, and place hanging bags with information and water watch bracelets and other materials on doors  around the Valley.

via http://www.raisingarizonakids.com/2013/02/the-walk-for-water-safety-communities-organize-to-prevent-drownings/?j=58994045&e=britt.kimball@swimkidsusa.us&l=24110305_HTML&u=489906057&mid=10342827&jb=0

Simple tips for drowning prevention

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 272013
 

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.

Related Links:

Pool Safely

Water Smart Babies

Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona

via http://ktar.com/22/1619069/Simple-tips-to-prevent-child-drownings

Body of woman recovered from Colorado river in Grand Canyon National Park

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 272013
 

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, AZ – Authorities say the body of a woman has been pulled from the Colorado River at Grand Canyon National Park.

Park officials say people on a private river trip reported seeing the body in the water near Tuckup Canyon late Thursday afternoon.

Due to pending darkness, park rangers weren’t able to fly to the scene until Friday morning.

The body was transported to the rim by helicopter and then to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Park officials say the woman’s name is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of her family.

A Colorado woman had been reported missing from a private rafting trip at the Grand Canyon in January. Kaitlin Anne Kenney, of Englewood, last was seen 30 river miles from where the unidentified woman’s body was recovered Friday.

via http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/state/body-of-woman-recovered-from-colorado-river-in-grand-canyon-national-park#ixzz2OlZyc155

Lifeguards’ 911 call saves 8-year-old

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 072013
 
An 8-year-old boy is recovering from a near drowning at a public swimming pool in Marana Sunday.

Northwest Fire District paramedics received a 911 call from lifeguards at the Ora Mae Harn District Park pool, saying the child was breathing but unconscious, said Capt. Adam Goldberg.

He said they believed the boy had been underwater about four minutes.

The child was flown to University Medical Center and was responding well, Goldberg said.

Family members were also at the pool at the time of the incident.

“What is shows us is that even at a community pool where there are lifeguards present, parents cannot let their guard down when their children are in the pool,” he said. “Those lifeguards are watching 50 or 60 kids.”

via http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/lifeguards-call-saves–year-old/article_39e4dfcc-cbee-11e2-86db-001a4bcf887a.html

2-year-old drowns in backyard pool; police identify as Karishman Shephard

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 072013
 

PHOENIX, AZ – A 2-year-old girl lost her life Thursday night after being found in a backyard pool.

Police identified her on Friday as Karishman Shephard.

Phoenix Fire Department spokesman Chris Ketterer said crews got the call around 6:30 p.m.

When firefighters arrived to the home near 75th Avenue and Thomas Road, they found Shephard unresponsive.

Shephard was transported to the hospital where she later died.

Crews told ABC15 the girl’s grandmother was watching her at the time.

Ketterer said the home does not have a pool fence.

via http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_west_valley/glendale/fd-toddler-critical-after-maryvale-near-drowning#ixzz2Y2XlL4t7

A Call to Action From CPSC: Teach All Children How To Swim and Put a Fence Around All Pools

 Water Related Incident Stories
Mar 072013
 

CPSC data show most child drownings occur in backyard pools; no entrapment deaths since 2008

WASHINGTON “ﾓA new report out today from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission  (CPSC)  reveals that children younger than age 5 represent more than 75 percent of all pool and spa submersion deaths and 78 percent of pool and spa submersion injuries in the United States involving children younger than 15 years of age. Government data also show that African-American and Hispanic children between the ages of 5 and 14 are at a higher risk of drowning.

“Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children between the ages of 1 and 4 and minority children drown in pools at an alarming rate,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “The lives of countless children can be saved this summer.  Take simple safety steps today”ﾔteach all children to swim, put a fence around all pools, and always watch children in and around the water.” 

CPSC’s Pool Safely campaign is focusing its attention on populations most at risk of drowning: 

  • Children between the ages of 1 and 3 represented 67 percent of reported fatalities and 64 percent of injuries.
  • African American children between the ages of 5 and 19 are six times more likely to drown in pools than white and Hispanic children that age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Data from USA Swimming indicate that 70 percent of African American children and 62 percent of Hispanic children cannot swim, making them more likely to drown.

 

The new CPSC Pool or Spa Submersions: Estimated Injuries and Reported Fatalities, 2013 Report shows annual averages of:

  • 390 pool or spa-related drownings for children younger than 15 with 76 percent (296) of the victims being younger than 5;
  • 5,100 pool or spa-related emergency department-treated submersion injuries for children younger than 15 with 78 percent (4,000) of the injured being younger than 5.

 

CPSC Chairman Tenenbaum presented the annual Submersion and Entrapment reports for 2013 at an event today at the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center in Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Chairman Tenenbaum was joined by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.-23); Suzy DeFrancis, Red Cross Chief Public Affairs Officer, and Katey Taylor, mother of entrapment victim, Abbey Taylor. Jesus Aguirre, Director of the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, welcomed the group to the popular neighborhood pool.

“As we head into summer and families across the country are getting ready to take their kids to the pool, we must remind everyone how important it is to keep a careful watch on our children as they swim and ensure that their pools and spas have proper safety equipment,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz.  “Working together, we can improve the safety of all pools and spas by increasing the use of layers of protection and promoting uninterrupted supervision to prevent child drowning and entrapment. With government programs like the CPSC’s Pool Safely, people can learn simple steps to take to save lives.”

“Learning how to swim saves lives,” said Suzy DeFrancis, Chief Public Affairs Officer for the American Red Cross. “The American Red Cross encourages all families to enroll in Learn-to-Swim programs by contacting your local pool.” Families can learn about Red Cross programs and find water safety tips by going to redcross.org.

New data from CPSC’s 2013 Submersion Report compile information on reported pool or spa-related drownings between 2008 and 2010 and estimated pool or spa-related injuries from 2010 through 2012 for children younger than 15. The estimated averages for the three-year periods represented show:

  • Residential locations dominated incidents involving victims younger than 5 years of age; 85 percent of the fatalities occurred at residential pools or spas. About 50 percent of the injuries and 73 percent of the fatalities involving children younger than 15 years occurred at a residence.
  • Of the reported pool fatalities for children younger than age 15, about 60 percent (231) occurred in in-ground pools; 15 percent (59) in above-ground pools, and nearly 10 percent (37) in portable pools.
  • There were no reported entrapment fatalities for 2012. The last recorded fatality of a child due to suction entrapment was in 2007.  CPSC received seven reports of entrapment injury incidents during 2012.

 

For the complete reports see: Pool and Spa Submersions 2013 and Circulation/Suction Entrapments 2013. The years for reported injury and fatality statistics differ due to a lag in fatality reporting. 

via http://cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/News-Releases/2013/Pool-Safely-Call-to-Action/#.UZ1GwOipLiI.email
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