Councilman Claude Mattox’s
Neighborhood News Council Corner Column
Summer Free of Child Drownings in Phoenix
With the summer of 2006 behind us, we are pleased to report that no children died in Phoenix in the water this past summer.
It was the first summer with no pediatric drowning deaths in the city since we started keeping records in 1989.
The biggest reason is the community's response to the strong water safety message that the Phoenix Fire Department, United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association, Drowning Prevention Coalition of Central Arizona and others have been sending out for years.
The Fire Department's education efforts and work from countless others in the community have combined to bring the concepts of water safety to many who never had given it much thought.
And it's been a team effort.
For example, the Phoenix Aquatics program gave swimming lessons to 25,000 young people this year.
The United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association's Adopt-A-Fence program has donated hundreds of pool fences to those in need. To donate money or request a fence for someone in need, call 602-277-1500 or visit
www.saverkids.org. For more water safety information, go to phoenix.gov/fire.
Our biggest thanks go out to the community. You have listened to the water safety message, installed pool fences, checked the Web or called for water safety tips, taken CPR classes, signed up for swimming lessons and kept eye-to-eye contact with all children around all water all of the time.
We hope that with continued attention, the good news on summer water safety will be the norm in the future.
Councilman Claude Mattox represents District 5 in west Phoenix. Call Councilman Mattox’s office at 602-262-7446 or send an e-mail to council.district.5@phoenix.gov.
