Broward Aims To Prevent Child Drowning Deaths With Water SMART Website

BROWARD (CBSMiami) – In South Florida, where water is everywhere and swimming is a popular pastime, the drowning statistics for children is high: every year an average of eight children lost their lives to drowning in Broward County.

Water SMART Broward is a website that aims to prevent drowning in the county by putting together helpful resources and information for parents and guardians.

These deaths, which are most of the time accidental, can be prevented by following tips like keeping gates and doors locked at all times, having a pool fence, and keeping children within arm's reach while in or near water.

SWIM Central, an agency for water safety which is based at Broward County Parks and Recreation Division, is now part of Water SMART Broward.

The initiative boasts efforts to get all organizations in the Broward to emphasize the importance of water-safety to prevent child drowning deaths.

SWIM Central is the coordinating agency for water-safety instruction and awareness in Broward County. It maintains the most comprehensive database in Florida for swimming pools and water-safety programs in the county.

For more information, call SWIM Central at 954-357-SWIM (7946), or visit WaterSMARTBroward.org.