JWB and Community Partners Host a Press Conference to Kickoff Water Safety Month

To kick off National Water Safety Month, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue in collaboration with JWB, Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition led by Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation hosted a press conference on May 1st, 2024, to raise awareness of water safety and drowning prevention.

Local experts discussed how easily these tragedies can happen, the dangerous effects of a water submersion, the importance of knowing CPR, and resources on how to prevent these incidents from occurring.

In addition, SPFR Paramedics and City of St. Pete Lifeguard provided a demonstration responding to a pediatric drowning on simulation mannequin provide by ECHO Healthcare.

JWB Chief Program Officer Karen Boggess also spoke.

Florida leads the nation in drowning fatalities for children under 5 years old. In 2023, we saw a record increase of pediatric submersions and fatal drownings locally here in Pinellas County, where a total of 37 pediatric submersions tragically led to 4 drowning fatalities.

View photos of the event on Facebook.