Member organizations:
- American Red Cross, Greater Houston & Galveston chapters
- Galveston Bay Power Squadron
- Galveston County Sheriff’s Department – Marine Division
- Galveston County Parks & Beaches Department
- Greater Houston Pool Management
- Harris County District 1, Parks Department
- Harris Co Health Dept
- Houston Apartment Association
- Houston Police Dept-- Lake Patrol Unit
- Houston Safe Boating Council
- Independent Pool & Spa Service Assn. (IPSSA) - Houston
- Save-A-Life/Prevent-A-Drowning
- Sea Star Swim School
- Texas Children’s Hospital and its Center for Childhood Injury
Prevention, the lead organization for SAFE KIDS Greater Houston
- Texas Parks & Wildlife
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston and Ft. Worth Districts
- US Coast Guard Auxiliary
Our purpose:
Our partnership began in February 2001 to help protect
children from drowning. Drowning happens quickly and silently. We aim to
build awareness for the need for water safety and the use of life jackets,
especially in minority and non-English-speaking groups.
- Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related
death of children 14 and under in the United States. It is the #1 cause
for Harris County children, ages 1-4. Unintentional injury kills more
people ages 1-34 than any other cause.
- Young children tend to drown in tubs and private pools. School-age
children more often drown in private and apartment pools. Teens and
preteens are more likely to drown in natural bodies of water. Families
with children on boats and on the shores of lakes, rivers, and the Gulf
are also at risk.
- Each year, more than 11 children drown in Harris County each year.
By July 2005, seven children have drowned in pools. Adequate adult
supervision and fencing encircling the pools might have prevented these
deaths.
Our stance:
- Adults should actively watch children in or near water, to the
exclusion of other activities.
- Children under the age 13 must wear life jackets while on boats.
(It’s also the law.)
- Anyone not comfortable in the water should wear a life jacket when
they are within 10 feet of water.
- Learn CPR to save a life when seconds count.
Life Jacket Loaner Programs
Since summer 2001, we have launched Life Jacket Loaner
Programs at:
- Alexander Duessen Park on Lake Houston
- Lake Somerville, 2 hours west of Houston
- Kemah Channel, the outflow for Clear Lake
- 61st Street in Galveston
- Wallisville, near I-10 and the Old & Lost Rivers.
Dock boxes filled with life jackets of varying sizes are
attached to informational kiosks placed near the public boat ramps. Families
borrow life jackets for their children on the honor system. Members monitor
the boxes, replacing lost life jackets.
Boating safety
- In 2004 and 2005, coalition members taught the Junior Boater program
to fifth graders during SAFE KIDS Week.
- Member organizations coordinate and teach Houston Safe Boating
Council’s 3-day Camp WADE program for teens and adults twice each
summer.
Pool safety
As the majority of child drowning incidents in
Houston/Harris County occur in pools, our team expanded in 2004 to address
pool safety. PSAs were provided to TV media outlets in 2003 and 2004. Our
efforts in 2005 have included a press conference, several displays at safety
fairs, stories in newsletters, and the distribution of more than 10,000
educational materials.
Financial status:
- SAFE KIDS Greater Houston is a coalition of primarily non-profit
organizations and governmental agencies. Since the Texas Children’s
Hospital, Center for Childhood Injury Prevention, is the lead
organization, we operate under the non-profit hospital.
- The organization does not receive funds from Texas Children’s
Hospital or from National SAFE KIDS Campaign. All member organizations
donate their time. Funds/supplies for specific projects since 2001 have
been provided by:
- BoatUS Foundation – life jackets and replacements for 2 programs
- Houston Safe Boating Council - $1000 - Galveston
- Texas Children’s Health Centers - $1000 - Kemah
- US Army Corps of Engineers – 5 kiosks for the Life Jacket Loaner
Programs
- SAFE KIDS Campaign - $250 and 30 life jackets
- Exxon – $1000 - volunteer match program for replacement life
jackets.
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