Pool Pact promotes water safety

Peter Mackellar submitted the following news item about Southwest Ambulance's Pool Pact, a child water-safety program.

With the summer already here, child drownings are once again a focal point across the Valley.

To help prevent child drowning, Southwest Ambulance, which provides world-class emergency paramedic services to cities across the Valley, began the Pool Pact program in summer 2003.

The program raises community awareness about adult supervision of children around water, learning CPR and constructing barriers around pools, as well as funding swim lessons for low-income families.

Since the program's inception, more than $200,000 has been donated to Arizona cities, including Peoria, Casa Grande, Chandler, Florence, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Surprise and Tempe. Each community can choose to offer free or reduced-cost swim lessons with the donation, and the lessons offered by the local parks and recreation departments.

To date, nearly 12,000 children and adults have reaped the benefit of this program.

Residents interested in swim lessons offered through the Pool Pact program should contact their local city parks and recreation department.