A Day at the Beach with Mary Ann Downing
Remarks by Mary Ann Downing, NDPA Board of Directors and 2012 Symposium Co-Chair at the International Boating and Water Safety Day at the Beach event- Wed., March 7th, 2012 10:30am- San Diego CA.
NDPA hosts A Day at the Beach
“Greetings, my name is Mary. This team represents the National Drowning Prevention Alliance- the NDPA. We are an ALLIANCE. We are a group of diverse individuals, from different organizations with a commitment to water safety and a passionate concern for drowning prevention.
Many people assume that the NDPA is ‘just Moms’ focused on backyard pool safety…well, some of us are! (I brought some “non Moms”, all focused today on drowning prevention) Look at these guys!
Today, the NDPA is here on this beach, our Board member Tim Woodward is a Firefighter Dad from Littleton Colorado, our NDPA member Manuel Gonzalez is the Aquatic Supervisor for the city of Chula Vista, President of the San Diego County Aquatic Council, a Dad, and the co-chair of the 2012 Symposium. Manny is one of the “Power 25” honored by Aquatics International Magazine. Our member Mario Vittone, is one of the speakers for our symposium, active duty Coast Guard and rescue swimmer (and dad).
I’ll introduce you to these Navy SEALs (Gio, Eddie and Calvin) in a moment.
The diversity of the NDPA allows alliances and partnerships that are unexpected to form because we all believe that Drowning is Preventable.
Our symposiums connect people like Jim Underwood of the Coast Guard and the Collingsworth Family- they met in Miami in 2009 at an NDPA Symposium.
Our members include families who have lost a loved one to drowning or injury in the water.
Our alliances empower members to promote drowning prevention in their communities by connecting and sparking networks, partnerships and action.
NDPA members become connectors. Today we have our San Diego Connection on the beach-an NDPA Mom (me) connected though the San Diego County Aquatic Council (Manny is president) for April Pools Day events last year…we connected with our heroes- the San Diego Lifeguards and the Navy SEALs.
Our philosophy in San Diego is “Everybody IN!”. So, our activity today here on the beach…no, not in the water…is for some of you to meet with our Navy SEALs, get some advice on how to wear lifejackets, hear about our Swim with a Navy SEAL project, and then if you would like to try out a Stand Up Paddle Board, with our San Diego Lifeguard Dana.
NDPA hosts A Day at the Beach
The NDPA believes in the SAFER3 message – Drowning prevention requires age appropriate tactics. For example, to focus on the youngest- ages 1 and 2, the ages with the highest drowning deaths, with over 300 deaths per year –requires a different tactic than with older ages. Drowning deaths are highest in ages 1-4 per age group, then lowest in ages 7-14, but shoot up dramatically in teens ages 15-18.
Our heroes, the SEALs and Lifeguards are recognized heroes to kids ages 8-12. Hoping to teach basic skills before the teenage years (more than 200 teens die from drowning each year), with the Safer3 model of Safer Water, Safer Kids and Safer Response, we might be able to provide lifesaving skills to teens who may be unsupervised around water, with low water safety skills, and a tendency to poor decision making, high risk behavior, and inability to recognize a problem in the water or perform even a basic rescue.
So, let me tell you about the San Diego heroes and our project. Last year the San Diego County Aquatic Council (under Manny’s leadership) along with SafeKids and other community partners took on the challenge of how to get kids to the local events- free swim lessons are enticing to Moms, but kids, not so much…so how do you get connected to kids? You need some heroes!
In San Diego we have lots of Heroes- maybe you’ve seen them on TV – Southern California Lifeguards on the Weather Channel. Thanks to our San Diego Lifeguards for teaching kids in the pool, and then taking them to the beach with the Bridge to the Beach program and the Junior Lifeguard program!
Along with our Lifeguard heroes, we have the Navy SEALs!
Last spring, thanks to our ALLIANCE in San Diego, some lucky kids got to “Swim with a Navy SEAL”. As part of April Pools Days last year, seven San Diego pools held one day events with free swim lessons, demonstrations by lifeguards and rescuers, and met with real Navy SEALs to learn about water safety and lifejackets.
So imagine you are a young boy ages 8-12, chances are good that you know something about Navy SEALs right. Courage, Bravery, Tough, Strong- great swimmers- a real HERO. So if a Navy SEAL told you to wear a lifejacket, reminded you to check your gear and always swim with a buddy, taught you how to tread water and showed you how to swim the Combat Sidestroke- do you think that lesson would stick? Well, parents and kids loved the Swim will a Navy SEAL opportunity- and the simple lessons learned from a Navy SEAL could be lifesaving!
So, Today, our NDPA volunteers Tim, Manny and Mario, will pick some volunteers to come up and meet our Navy SEALs- Gio, Eddie and Calvin. They will meet with you, and check your lifejackets before you head over to the San Diego Lifeguards. Meet James Murphy of the San Diego Lifeguards, along with Dana, and today you can try your skill on a Stand Up Paddleboard.
Attendees of the event learn to stand on Paddleboards
So thank you, I invite you to join the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, forge connections in your communities to promote water safety and drowning prevention, and we all gratefully thank the Lifeguards and the Navy SEALs!!! Thank you IBWSS planners!”
Remarks by Mary Ann Downing, NDPA Board of Directors and 2012 Symposium Co-Chair at the International Boating and Water Safety Day at the Beach event- Wed., March 7th, 2012 10:30am- San Diego CA.
NDPA hosts A Day at the Beach
“Greetings, my name is Mary. This team represents the National Drowning Prevention Alliance- the NDPA. We are an ALLIANCE. We are a group of diverse individuals, from different organizations with a commitment to water safety and a passionate concern for drowning prevention.
Many people assume that the NDPA is ‘just Moms’ focused on backyard pool safety…well, some of us are! (I brought some “non Moms”, all focused today on drowning prevention) Look at these guys!
Today, the NDPA is here on this beach, our Board member Tim Woodward is a Firefighter Dad from Littleton Colorado, our NDPA member Manuel Gonzalez is the Aquatic Supervisor for the city of Chula Vista, President of the San Diego County Aquatic Council, a Dad, and the co-chair of the 2012 Symposium. Manny is one of the “Power 25” honored by Aquatics International Magazine. Our member Mario Vittone, is one of the speakers for our symposium, active duty Coast Guard and rescue swimmer (and dad).
I’ll introduce you to these Navy SEALs (Gio, Eddie and Calvin) in a moment.
The diversity of the NDPA allows alliances and partnerships that are unexpected to form because we all believe that Drowning is Preventable.
Our symposiums connect people like Jim Underwood of the Coast Guard and the Collingsworth Family- they met in Miami in 2009 at an NDPA Symposium.
Our members include families who have lost a loved one to drowning or injury in the water.
Our alliances empower members to promote drowning prevention in their communities by connecting and sparking networks, partnerships and action.
NDPA members become connectors. Today we have our San Diego Connection on the beach-an NDPA Mom (me) connected though the San Diego County Aquatic Council (Manny is president) for April Pools Day events last year…we connected with our heroes- the San Diego Lifeguards and the Navy SEALs.
Our philosophy in San Diego is “Everybody IN!”. So, our activity today here on the beach…no, not in the water…is for some of you to meet with our Navy SEALs, get some advice on how to wear lifejackets, hear about our Swim with a Navy SEAL project, and then if you would like to try out a Stand Up Paddle Board, with our San Diego Lifeguard Dana.
NDPA hosts A Day at the Beach
The NDPA believes in the SAFER3 message – Drowning prevention requires age appropriate tactics. For example, to focus on the youngest- ages 1 and 2, the ages with the highest drowning deaths, with over 300 deaths per year –requires a different tactic than with older ages. Drowning deaths are highest in ages 1-4 per age group, then lowest in ages 7-14, but shoot up dramatically in teens ages 15-18.
Our heroes, the SEALs and Lifeguards are recognized heroes to kids ages 8-12. Hoping to teach basic skills before the teenage years (more than 200 teens die from drowning each year), with the Safer3 model of Safer Water, Safer Kids and Safer Response, we might be able to provide lifesaving skills to teens who may be unsupervised around water, with low water safety skills, and a tendency to poor decision making, high risk behavior, and inability to recognize a problem in the water or perform even a basic rescue.
So, let me tell you about the San Diego heroes and our project. Last year the San Diego County Aquatic Council (under Manny’s leadership) along with SafeKids and other community partners took on the challenge of how to get kids to the local events- free swim lessons are enticing to Moms, but kids, not so much…so how do you get connected to kids? You need some heroes!
In San Diego we have lots of Heroes- maybe you’ve seen them on TV – Southern California Lifeguards on the Weather Channel. Thanks to our San Diego Lifeguards for teaching kids in the pool, and then taking them to the beach with the Bridge to the Beach program and the Junior Lifeguard program!
Along with our Lifeguard heroes, we have the Navy SEALs!
Last spring, thanks to our ALLIANCE in San Diego, some lucky kids got to “Swim with a Navy SEAL”. As part of April Pools Days last year, seven San Diego pools held one day events with free swim lessons, demonstrations by lifeguards and rescuers, and met with real Navy SEALs to learn about water safety and lifejackets.
So imagine you are a young boy ages 8-12, chances are good that you know something about Navy SEALs right. Courage, Bravery, Tough, Strong- great swimmers- a real HERO. So if a Navy SEAL told you to wear a lifejacket, reminded you to check your gear and always swim with a buddy, taught you how to tread water and showed you how to swim the Combat Sidestroke- do you think that lesson would stick? Well, parents and kids loved the Swim will a Navy SEAL opportunity- and the simple lessons learned from a Navy SEAL could be lifesaving!
So, Today, our NDPA volunteers Tim, Manny and Mario, will pick some volunteers to come up and meet our Navy SEALs- Gio, Eddie and Calvin. They will meet with you, and check your lifejackets before you head over to the San Diego Lifeguards. Meet James Murphy of the San Diego Lifeguards, along with Dana, and today you can try your skill on a Stand Up Paddleboard.
Attendees of the event learn to stand on Paddleboards
So thank you, I invite you to join the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, forge connections in your communities to promote water safety and drowning prevention, and we all gratefully thank the Lifeguards and the Navy SEALs!!! Thank you IBWSS planners!”
