US EditionFirefighter, Swim Instructor Urge Families to Prevent Accidental Drownings
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, JUL 7 – Rich Specht and partners have influenced new laws and programs to reduce child drownings, with drowning as the leading cause of death for ages 1 to 4, CDC data shows.
- In October 2012, Rich Specht's 22-month-old son Rees drowned at their Sound Beach home, prompting Specht to start a kindness-focused foundation in his son's honor.
- Specht met Bobby Hazen, a water safety advocate since 2008, and they united to promote drowning prevention and water safety education through a collaborative program.
- Together, Hazen and Specht developed the 2018 SPLASH program using an acronym and mascot to teach children safety steps, reinforced by school lessons and legislative efforts nationwide.
- Each year, over 3,500 drownings occur in the U.S., including 945 children, with programs like YMCA swim lessons and state laws such as the 'Every Child a Swimmer' bill aiming to reduce these numbers.
- The partnership between Specht, Hazen, educators, and legislators indicates growing awareness and efforts to embed water safety education early, hoping to achieve generational change and prevent further tragedies.
12 Articles
12 Articles
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Firefighter, swim instructor urge families to prevent accidental drownings
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YMCA of Dane County providing free Safety Around Water training to 100 kids
The YMCA of Dane County is partnering with Reach Dane to deliver its nationally recognized Safety Around Water (SAW) program to 100 local children at no cost. SAW is an eight-week program that teaches life-saving water safety skills to help prevent drownings. The program centers on helping children adjust to being in the water, teaching what to do if an individual unexpectedly ends up in the water, explaining what to do if someone is in the wat…
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