A pair of short public service announcements focused on drowning prevention and water safety have begun airing online this summer.
Created by the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Health, the 30- and 60-second spots are designed to warn parents of the drowning dangers facing children.
So far this year, the Florida Abuse Hotline has received 40 reports of children drowning. The state loses more children under the age of 5 to drowning than any other state in the nation, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The videos, which can be seen on YouTube as well as DCF’s Facebook page, Twitter account and blog site, were created in response to those statistics. They will air throughout the summer.
“Drowning deaths are 100 percent preventable and can happen to anyone – even experienced swimmers,” Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins said. “As we go into the 4th of July holiday, it’s important to emphasize supervision and swim safety while spending time with friends and family around the pool.”
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to be vigilant when supervising children around water.
Waterprooffl.com, a web site run by the Florida Department of Health, offers a series of tips in helping prevent drowning deaths and injuries, including proper supervision, providing a physical barrier to a pool and emergency preparedness.