Document text
Aquatic safety may save lives Photo by Drew Fleming Ashland's Keenam Monro, 10, throws a line to one firefighter in the YMCA pool, while Kaila Calhoun, 6, of Talent, rescues another during the demonstration by Jackson County Fire District 3 on how to save people from drowning. Parents, kids prepare for summer recreation By JESSICA SMITH Children and their parents watched carefully Sunday as firefighters demonstrated how to save the life of a drowning person. But it was the sight of the blue and white Mercy Flights helicopter that really wowed the crowd. "Helicopter, helicopter, helicopter!" little Joshua Summers, 3, of Phoenix, squealed as he searched the blue Ashland sky for the chopper, which he soon found and pointed out to others standing by. "It's comin' down!" The helicopter demonstration was one of several planned by area emergency services agencies to teach local youths how to play safely around lakes and rivers. Kids clamored for a look inside the helicopter at about 3:45 p.m. Sunday, moments after it "rescued" an emergency services worker in a simulation that had the man pretending he broke his legs. "The point of all of this is to get the information out there before families start hitting the lakes and rivers," said John Souza, aquatics director at the Ashland Family YMCA. The water safety presentation was well timed, with the American Academy of Pediatrics warning last week that some tots taught to swim have a false sense of security around water. According to the pediatrics academy, children under 4 are not ready physically or intellectually for swimming lessons. "The YMCA has always felt there's a big difference between just teaching kids how to swim and teaching them about water safety," Souza said. A parent's best bet is to enroll children in classes offered at the YMCA or Red Cross, which emphasize water safety, he added. Parents looking to educate their children about what to do in a water emergency said Sunday's program was a good place to start. "I brought my whole neighborhood with me," said Kim Stephens, of Talent. "We take the kids out on our boat water-skiing and we want them to know the reasons behind the rules we have." Robert Walters, a District 3 firefighter and member of the county's special operations group, said the demonstration was especially important for families who use rivers for recreation. "Moving water is much more dangerous than lakes and ponds. You can get caught in the undercuts and you're feet are just swept right from under you -- that's particularly the case for little kids," he said. The families at Sunday's event learned how to get a good-fitting life jacket, what to do if their raft or kayak overturns and how to free themselves if they get tangled in a "strainer," a floating log covered with river debris. A second water-safety training presentation is planned from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Medford YMCA, 522 W. Sixth St. The county also is urging boat owners to enroll in boating safety courses offered by several different agencies. A list is available at the Jackson County Sheriff's Office by calling 826-5548. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA