BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Florida leads the nation in child drownings. We are surrounded by beautiful bodies of water and its why swim safety is more than a story. It’s a priority for us.
This month, Local 10 is launching a new, station-wide campaign called “Swim South Florida.” The campaign will be spearheaded by Local 10 anchor and mom, Nicole Perez. It’s designed to raise awareness and save lives.
This week, Nicole took some time to learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR. Katherine Morales, a CPR instructor for the American Red Cross, walked her through the steps on what to do during an emergency.
“In the event of an emergency there is a child drowning what do you do? The first thing to do is make sure the scene is safe not put yourself in danger. Assess if child is responds. If there are no signs of breathing, call 911, then start chest compressions,” said Morales.
Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children ages 1 to 4 than any other cause except birth defects.
“It’s incredibly important. We live in South Florida and are always around large bodies of water. It’s important to have skills handy to teach water safety,” said Dariana Molina, American Red Cross Regional Communications Manager.
Knowing these statistics and covering local stories involving drownings, Nicole wanted to make sure that everyone in her family who is around her son was armed with the tools necessary if there was ever an emergency. So, the American Red Cross came to her house to start the process to get everyone CPR certified.
“I learned a lot and now I can approach these situations with a better mindsight,’ said JC Perez, Nicole’s brother.
Anyone interested in becoming CPR certified can take classes online, in -person or both.
“You absolutely need to learn. Because if it’s not your child, it may be someone else. If you have those skills under your belt, you could teach people of different ages and it could mean saving a life,” said Molina.
For more information about becoming CPR certified, click on this link.