1. Central Florida Drowning Prevention & Water Safety Task Force Presentation to the Board of County Commissioners May 12, 2009

2. Water Safety Task Force 2004 –Mayor Crotty reinstates the Task Force –Task Force-8 members –Covering Orange County 2009 –Task Force- 28 members –Covering Orange, Osceola, Seminole Counties

3. Water Safety Task Force Mission To prevent childhood drowning by increasing water safety awareness, by promoting water safety and educating the community about resources and opportunities

4. Water Safety Task Force Task Force :Goals 1.Educating the community 2. Promoting Layers of Safety –Adult Supervision –Barriers –Poolside Telephone –Learn CPR –Swimming Lessons 3. Promoting Safe Water Behavior

5. Water Safety Task Force  Florida has the highest drowning rate in the nation for young children  What are the Challenges? Central Florida has over 300 named lakes,rivers ponds. Access to hotel/motel pools Great weather for home pool use Central Florida has become a hub for aquatic sports and recreation

6. Water Safety Task Force What the statistics show?  70% young children drown in pools  77% parents are away from the children for less than 5 minutes.  It is not lack of supervision but a lapse of supervision that threatens our young children

7. Water Safety Task Force What the statistics show? –Peak drowning period during the year –April- August –88% of children under 5 who drowned would have benefited from swimming lessons

8. Water Safety Task Force Task Force Activities –Community education Health Fairs Educational DVDs Website Orange TV –Swimming instruction –Member agency activities

9. Water Safety Task Force Members: Water Safety Task Force Members: District 9 Medical Examiner Every Child A Swimmer Florida Hospital Orange TV The Pool Safety Resource Osceola Fire Rescue Department The Pool Safety Resource Orange County Health Services Department Winter Park Fire Department Osceola County Health Department Seminole County Health Department Orlando Regional Healthcare Southwest Aquatics Children’s Safety Village

10. Water Safety Task Force For Children & Families –Produce and distribute Children’s DVD –Produce water safety puppet show –Create aquatic physical educational activities for collaboration with the school system –Video of pool alarms and barriers –Create water safety messages for teenagers and young adults For Funding –Involve Corporate Partners

11. Central Florida Drowning Prevention & Water Safety Task Force “Children Aren’t Waterproof”