Drowning Prevention

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages one to four in Florida. 

To help educate residents about drowning prevention, the Seminole County Fire Department, in partnership with Seminole County's Community Health Division, the Seminole County Sheriff Foundation, the Gunner Martin Foundation, The Wesley Seth Foundation, and others, have distributed nearly 1,000 free door alarms as well as pool alarms throughout the community.

In 2023, Seminole County Government was awarded a two-year Pool Safety Grant of $194,535 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for pool safety, education, training, and enforcement!

In partnership with the Seminole County Community Health Division the grant:

• Provided free door and pool alarms to the community
• Offered free survival swim lessons for Seminole County youth
• Educated first responders, code enforcement and other public safety professionals to identify pool safety hazards and other drowning prevention methods to help residents
• Shared drowning prevention education and outreach with residents

• Drowning prevention brochure in English
• Drowning prevention brochure in Spanish

Helpful Resources

• Hands-Only CPR — Save-a-Life Seminole
• Florida Department of Children and Families’ Child Fatality Prevention — Florida Department of Children and Families (myflfamilies.com) for statewide data on drownings. Choose the link “Statewide Data” and at the bottom, and filter by year and cause of death.
• Florida Department of Health’s WaterSmartFL — Drowning prevention information, resources, events and laws
• Safe Kids Worldwide — Water Safety

In the News

It Happened to Us — Local Families

Wekiva’s David and Jen Peacock loss of their son Wesley: Ch 13 segment

Seminole County Fire Department Firefighter Chris Martin:

• Southern Living — personal tragedy inspires football player to become a firefighter
• WFTV Ch. 9 — Seminole County firefighter taking steps to help to prevent child drownings
• WKMG Ch. 6 — former NFL football player becomes firefighter after tragic loss

Press Releases

• Seminole County Fire Department Partners with Gunner Martin Foundation to Provide Free Door Alarms (English version)
• Seminole County Fire Department Partners with Gunner Martin Foundation to Provide Free Door Alarms (Spanish version)
• Seminole County Receives National Pool Safety Grant