Dan Rowe was among the volunteers repairing public water systems damaged by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica in October. A project leader for Veolia North America, Rowe, who helps operate Nassau County‘s water treatment facility in Wantagh, was up for the task, despite the challenges.
Rowe volunteers with Veolia Foundation, whose international mission includes assisting during humanitarian emergencies, providing development aid, strengthening the environment and supporting biodiversity. In Jamaica, Rowe worked with a team that included members of the French Red Cross, as they confronted the threat of disease and dehydration facing the island’s thousands of residents.
Rowe spent three weeks working with improvised equipment, inventing solutions in the field and navigating an international team of people he had never met before.
He said there were many “MacGyver” moments, referring to a TV character who could create a workaround and save the day even during the most dire circumstances.
“I brought along tools that I anticipated would be required but there were field challenges that required a ‘MacGyver’ solution if we were to get the island’s population potable water that would be safe to drink,” he said in a written statement.
“Another challenge was the language barrier,” Rowe said. “Unlike our teams here at Veolia North America where each member knows intuitively what the other person’s skillset is, I was working with people I had never met before, and my French is – to be polite – limited.”
Rowe also had to manage the expectations of his family back on Long Island as he worked to provide access to safe drinking water for Jamaica.
“I was gone far longer than what I expected, essentially working through a solid month with one day off but my family understood the urgency, the mission, and the commitment,” he said.
St. Paul officials pulled a driver from a car after it drove into Lake Como Wednesday afternoon.
Officials say they were called to Lake Como near Wheelock Parkway around 2 p.m. When officials arrived they found a car partially submerged about 15 feet off the shoreline.
Responders were able to enter the water to speak with the driver. The driver appeared to have non-life-threatening injuries. Fire crews were able to set up a rope rescue system to pull the diver from the water. The victim was then checked out by emergency personnel before being transported to a local hospital.
Mark Tasche was so proud that his grandsons learned to fish like him, but there was one more lesson he wishes they would’ve taken to heart.
“Your life jacket — when you’re in a situation that’s even halfway dangerous — put it on,” the 66-year-old Tasche told WCCO News. “My grandsons both should’ve learned from me. They should’ve learned from my example.”
Neither of Tasche’s grandsons, Tyler and Tristan, were wearing life jackets on Tuesday when their fishing boat capsized on the Mississippi River. Tyler, 28, was located unresponsive and died, according to the Wright County Sheriff’s Office. Tristan, 18, was able to make it to shore, along with his grandfather.
“I don’t know that I’ll ever go on a boat again,” Tasche lamented. “I don’t know that I’ll fish again. I would rather Tyler would’ve survived. If I could change places with him laying on that cold slab like he is now getting cremated like he is now. I would do that.”
The sheriff’s office says Xcel Energy employees, the Monticello Fire Department, the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota State Patrol assisted in the recovery efforts.
Tyler Tasche is also survived by his wife and four children. A fundraiser has been set up to support the family.
“It’s a huge and immense void,” Tasche added. “Everybody liked Tyler. He helped everyone with everything.”
Jonah Kaplan is an award-winning journalist who has built a strong reputation for his balanced reporting, thoughtful interviews, and deeply researched coverage of high-impact issues affecting the community. His work appears on all of WCCO’s newscasts and is often featured on CBS News’ programs and platforms, including the CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings and CBS 24/7.
Boaters took advantage of the hot weather and holiday weekend to enjoy the Northern California waterways this Labor Day.Traditionally, it is the Fourth of July weekend that brings the most people to launch their boats at Tower Park Marina along the Sacramento Delta, but the marina team noted that Labor Day weekend is a close second. “The heat has really brought the people out,” said Cathy Oregon, of the Tower Park Marina. “They’re really looking to spend time in the water and just cool down. It’s a great way to spend the day, to get out on a boat and get out there, have some fun, ski and kayak.”For Joel Delizonna, the best days are on the boat. “I grew up with them. My wife grew up with them. You just love it. Just wind in your face, swimming,” he said. Despite noticing fewer boats out on the water year over year, Delizonna said his whole family still loves to come out and enjoy the water. He said the whole family spent the whole weekend on the Delta this holiday weekend.”It was great. Great water, great fun. I had a good time,” he said. “It was an awesome weekend.”The holiday weekend is popular among boaters looking to take their boats out one more time before summer ends. “I would say we got another three or four weeks, and Labor Day is kind of like, this is the last weekend to go out boating,” said Daniel Base, a boater out in Sacramento’s Discovery Park. Despite the so-called end of the season, the Tower Park Marina remains open year-round. “With the warm weather continuing, we will see more boats launching out of here and we encourage everybody to come out and join us. It’s a great spot,” Oregon said. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Boaters took advantage of the hot weather and holiday weekend to enjoy the Northern California waterways this Labor Day.
Traditionally, it is the Fourth of July weekend that brings the most people to launch their boats at Tower Park Marina along the Sacramento Delta, but the marina team noted that Labor Day weekend is a close second.
“The heat has really brought the people out,” said Cathy Oregon, of the Tower Park Marina. “They’re really looking to spend time in the water and just cool down. It’s a great way to spend the day, to get out on a boat and get out there, have some fun, ski and kayak.”
For Joel Delizonna, the best days are on the boat.
“I grew up with them. My wife grew up with them. You just love it. Just wind in your face, swimming,” he said.
Despite noticing fewer boats out on the water year over year, Delizonna said his whole family still loves to come out and enjoy the water. He said the whole family spent the whole weekend on the Delta this holiday weekend.
“It was great. Great water, great fun. I had a good time,” he said. “It was an awesome weekend.”
The holiday weekend is popular among boaters looking to take their boats out one more time before summer ends.
“I would say we got another three or four weeks, and Labor Day is kind of like, this is the last weekend to go out boating,” said Daniel Base, a boater out in Sacramento’s Discovery Park.
Despite the so-called end of the season, the Tower Park Marina remains open year-round.
“With the warm weather continuing, we will see more boats launching out of here and we encourage everybody to come out and join us. It’s a great spot,” Oregon said.
Both the men’s and women’s Olympic triathlon events proceeded with swimming in the Seine River on Wednesday after the water’s pollution levels caused a delay. CBS Saturday Morning co-host and CBS News and sports correspondent Dana Jacobson has more from Paris.
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LAKEWOOD, Colo. — A group of Lakewood teens jumped into action at Bear Creek Lake Park over the weekend and helped save a man who was drowning.
Summer started off pretty typical for Green Mountain High School sophomores Luke Ball, Danny Hiatt, Alan Johnston and Stefan Radisa.
“We just play sports, hang out as a big group, do a bunch of fun things,” said Johnston.
Denver7
Last Sunday, the plan was to hang out at Big Soda Lake at Bear Creek Lake Park.
“We were just playing spike ball, waiting to see if the clouds would go over or not,” Johnston recalled.
City of Lakewood Park Ranger Garrett Shaw was also keeping an eye on the clouds that day from the swim beach.
“We were discussing an incoming storm we had. We’re trying to just prepare for how we were going to handle rescues and whatnot,” said Shaw.
That’s when the boys heard a scream from the water.
“I turn around and I just see someone struggling,” said Radisa.
“First we weren’t quite sure because he wasn’t really yelling because he had water in his mouth,” said Johnston.
The man was drowning in the swimming area.
“It’s probably somewhere in the range of 8-12 feet [deep]. The water levels fluctuate,” explained Shaw. “I noticed a party that was below the surface of the water. I could see them a little bit, and then they just disappeared and there were just bubbles.”
Denver7
Shaw rushed to grab a lifeguard flotation tube and the teens jumped into action.
“One we saw him go down, me and Danny started running out there,” said Johnston.
Radisa checked in with the ranger.
“They reached out and said, ‘Hey, can we go get him?’ And I said, ‘Please, absolutely.’ And they ran out of the water,” said Shaw.
Ball threw the two boys a flotation tube to help get the man to shore.
“Me and Danny pick him up. We start carrying him over to shore, and then some other guy comes to help us,” said Johnston.
The man was not breathing, so Shaw started CPR until he started breathing again.
“Relief. I was happy that it worked. We were able to help him. His family was there with us, so it was definitely just some really good relief,” said Shaw.
The man was conscious and breathing when the ambulance transported him to the hospital.
Lakewood teens help save man from drowning at Bear Creek Lake Park
“Human life’s the most valuable thing on the planet,” said Ball. “So it’s worth throwing away everything to be able to help somebody.”
“We’re super grateful for their willingness to step up. And I hope they keep that kind of confidence going forward,” said Shaw. “The world needs more people like that that are willing to step in and help out in emergency situations. Without them, I don’t know if that situation would have been as successful.”
“It’s important because if they’re in that situation — someone’s drowning, someone needs to help them — for some people, it’s scary to go help people like that. But I think it’s really important,” said Hiatt.
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MINNETONKA, Minn. — For many Minnesotans, Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of boating season.
At Lake Minnetonka, first responders are preparing for crowds of thousands to hit the water.
This week, however, the U.S. Coast Guard is emphasizing the importance of water safety, sharing data showing the prevalence of accidents and injuries while boating.
In 2022, the USCG says, 636 people died nationally in boating accidents – and another 2,222 people were injured. Moreover, boating accidents caused $63 million dollars in property damage.
“It’s a lot of people’s first time out on a lake — they might not know how to ride a boat as well — driving, could be a little more careless, not aware of the dangers as much,” said Brent Anderson, a paramedic with Hennepin Healthcare who spent Saturday riding along with Hennepin County Sheriff’s Water Crews on Lake Minnetonka.
WCCO
Anderson says boaters early in the season are still at risk for hypothermia – even if outdoor temperatures are hot.
“If you get hypothermia, you’re not thinking clearly. You could think you’re warm. You’re just not functioning properly -you’ve got to be careful with it,” Anderson said.
New research from the Centers for Disease Control also reveals a startling rise in the number of drownings across America since the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2022, 4,500 people drowned each year in the U.S., which is roughly 500 more drowning deaths each year compared to 2019.
It’s also the leading cause of death among children ages 1-4, and drowning increased by 28% in that age group in 2022 compared to 2019.
“CDC’s drowning prevention experts collected high-quality drowning data to better understand how we can protect people in communities across the United States,” said Debra Houry, the CDC’s Chief Medical Officer. Understanding the barriers people face to accessing basic swimming and water safety skills training can help us better understand how to address those barriers, decrease drowning rates, and save lives.”
More than a third of Black adults reported not knowing how to swim compared to 15% of all adults, and 72% of Hispanic adults reported never taking a swimming lesson, according to CDC data.
In Minneapolis, the Park Board is offering swim lessons for kids ages 3-17 at five different locations starting June 17. There are scholarships available to help improve access and affordability.
MINNEAPOLIS — It was a beautiful day outside but still worth swimming inside before taking a dip in a lake this summer.
“As a person who likes to lap swim, I like to be able to see and feel safe in a pool,” swimmer Katie Wilson told WCCO at Phillips Aquatic Center.
Wilson said she was a competitive swimmer as a student but mostly gave up the sport because it had gotten too expensive.
“Most lap pools are going to be located in schools, so you can’t as an adult just go in the middle of the day,” she said. “The other access points are large gyms which could be a couple hundred dollars.”
Minnesota, of course, has roughly 10,000 options for swimming in the summer season, but lakes are bigger and deeper than pools, and that also makes them more dangerous. There’s new research from the CDC, moreover, that reveals a startling rise in the number of drownings across America since the pandemic.
“I’ve seen firsthand the effects of drowning: families forced to say goodbye to their loved ones too soon,” said Debra Houry the CDC’s Chief Medical Officer. “CDC’s drowning prevention experts collected high-quality drowning data to better understand how we can protect people in communities across the United States. Understanding the barriers people face to accessing basic swimming and water safety skills training can help us better understand how to address those barriers, decrease drowning rates, and save lives.”
The research from the CDC included the following data:
From 2020-2022, 4,500 people drowned each year in the United States; that’s roughly 500 more drowning deaths each year compared to 2019.
Drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1–4.
Drowning increased by 28% among children ages 1–4 in 2022 compared to 2019.
Adults 65 years of age and older had the second highest rate of drowning.
Drowning increased by 19% in adults ages 65–74 in 2022 compared to 2019.
In 2021, drowning increased 28% among Black people compared to 2019.
40 million adults do not know how to swim.
More than 1 in 3 Black adults (37%) reported not knowing how to swim compared to 15% of all adults.
About 2 in 3 Black adults (63%) reported never taking a swimming lesson.
About 3 in 4 Hispanic adults (72%) reported never taking a swimming lesson.
In Minneapolis, the Park Board is offering swim lessons for kids ages 3-17 at five different locations starting June 17. There are scholarships available to help improve access and affordability.
Jonah Kaplan is WCCO and CBS News Minnesota’s investigative reporter and has built a strong reputation for his balanced and in-depth coverage of high-impact issues including the economy, immigration, education, public safety, and the military, among others.
The U.S. government, in what an attorney says is a “monumental admission,” said last year that it caused injury to thousands of people on the Hawaiian island of Oahu when jet fuel from its storage facility leaked into the drinking water system. On Monday, thousands of military family members and locals are headed to trial seeking financial compensation.
Kristina Baehr, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the case, said her firm has 7,500 clients suing over the leak. Monday’s proceedings kick off a bellwether trial, meaning it’s a smaller consolidation of lawsuits taken from a larger group.
The case dates back to the week of Thanksgiving in 2021, when nearly 20,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked out of the World War II-era Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility and into the water system that serves about 93,000 people near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu. Military officials for days denied there was anything wrong with the water, as seen in recorded testimony and memos sent from that time.
By the time the military acknowledged there was petroleum in the water, people had already begun feeling the health impacts, many of which are still being experienced today — more than 2 1/2 years later.
In May 2023, the government made what Baehr says were “monumental admissions” about the crisis. Along with admitting liability for negligence at the storage facility, she said the government also “admitted that residents on the water line in November 2021 suffered injury.”
In a court-filed joint stipulation dated May 10, 2023, attorneys for the Department of Justice said “the United States does not dispute” that the 2021 spill “caused a nuisance for those Plaintiffs who owned or leased residences” that were eventually subject to a state Department of Health advisory.
The DOJ also says in the document that it “does not dispute that…the United States breached its duty of care to the Resident Plaintiffs to exercise ordinary care in the operation of Red Hill” and that, as a result of the “nuisance,” plaintiffs “suffered injuries compensable under the Federal Tort Claims Act.”
What the Justice Department hasn’t admitted, Baehr said, is the extent of the harm or that the government failed to warn residents.
Baehr told CBS News that many of her thousands of clients experienced the same symptoms at the beginning of the leak: dizziness, brain fog, disorientation, rashes, nausea, vomiting and burning in the esophagus.
Years later, many have spent countless hours in hospitals and are still suffering from the impacts.
Hawaii’s U.S. Rep. Ed Case, right, attends a rally calling for the shutdown of the Navy’s Red Hill underground fuel tanks as a man holds a photo of an infant who had chemical burns after bathing in fuel contaminated water, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 in Honolulu.
Caleb Jones / AP
Victims of jet fuel exposure say their lives have “forever been drastically changed”
Jamie Simic, whose then-husband was a senior chief petty officer in the Navy when the leak occurred, is one of the three individuals specifically named as plaintiffs in the case. Before it was confirmed the water was contaminated, she said her children refused to brush their teeth.
“My daughter’s teeth were crumbling out of her head. They were saying we couldn’t taste toothpaste anymore… that they were tasting something foul,” she said, adding that the day military officials confirmed there was something wrong with the water, she was “throwing up while cooking dinner” from the fumes and wear.
“I went to the fridge to grab out some ice from my freezer and my ice was pure yellow and it had an oily film,” she said. “I put it up to my nose and I could smell fuel.”
The smell of fuel was on everything that came into contact with water, from dishes to laundry, Simic said. At the direction of the military, she and her family went to Tripler Army Medical Center, but she said that while there, they at first were given only “a piece of paper to write down your symptoms.”
“There was no form. There was no doctor. There was no blood pressure taken. There was nothing,” she said.
Meanwhile, she says she and her kids, now 11 and 10, have experienced issues with their teeth, incontinence and throat problems, while she has also dealt with reproductive issues. In an amended complaint filed in December 2022, attorneys said her family had to make more than 20 visits to doctors and undergo two biopsies and three surgeries. Some procedures her son needed that year “were thwarted because their son was too traumatized to cooperate,” the complaint says.
When CBS News spoke with Simic on Wednesday, she said the number of procedures and visits are now, “well over 300 to 400.” In many of these visits, she said doctors stated the problems she and her family are experiencing are related to the jet fuel exposure.
“We have been diagnosed with chronic hydrocarbon toxicity exposure more than once,” she said. “My daughter’s issues were just recently linked to it with her bowels. ‘To environmental exposure in Hawaii’ is what her records say.”
And the toll isn’t just physical, it’s an immense financial burden. Simic’s grandmother has given the family almost $40,000 to help with related expenses, she said.
“Just tomorrow alone, probably going to be spending $250 to $300 on travel with one specialty appointment, the copay, and then both of my children’s primary care manager appointments.”
Task Force Ohana Soldiers fill containers with potable water for Aliamanu Military Reservation residents (AMR) at a water supply point at AMR on Dec. 15th, 2021 at AMR, Hawaii.
Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lower/DVIDS
Mai Hall, who is Native Hawaiian and a military spouse, lived in military-provided housing with her husband and two kids at the time of the jet fuel leak. Speaking to CBS News in March 2023, she said her family started experiencing symptoms quickly.
“The next day it became apparent with the headaches, the nausea, bloody stools. … The cats were vomiting. I was like, ‘Oh my God, we’re gonna die,’” she told CBS News. “…We knew something was wrong. It was kind of like post-apocalyptic.”
When families first started notifying military officials their water had developed a strange taste and smell, their “concerns were not being heard,” Hall said.
“It must have been a week, six to seven days, before they said, ‘Oh yeah, by the way, there may have been fuel that leaked into the water,’” she told CBS News. “…And it was just an email. It wasn’t even a phone call. It wasn’t a knock on the door.”
Records show that Navy drinking water supervisor Joe Nehl said on Nov. 28, 2021, he received confirmation there was fuel in the water system and said he “called for help” and agreed it was obvious people needed to know of the situation.
However, it wasn’t until a town hall on December 5 that officials first stated publicly there was fuel from the leak in the water. Prior, they had issued statements saying there was “no indication water is not safe.”
A message from December 5, 2021, posted on JBPHH’s official Facebook page, in which Joint Base Commander Erik Spitzer says water testing results showed the water was not safe to drink after jet fuel leaked from the Red Hill Bulk Storage Facility.
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam/Facebook
A November 30 communication plan from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam CBS News obtained shows officials were told to say, “There do not appear to be any indications that the water is unsafe” and, “We have not heard of any injuries.”
“I just have to trust the system,” Hall told CBS News. “And do I trust the system? No, I don’t.”
Baehr and Simic say this ordeal, as detrimental as it has been to those impacted, is also a story of resilience and hope.
“All we can get from the case is financial compensation. But financial compensation is what brings accountability,” Baehr told CBS News. “…These families took on the United States of America and won. And now it’s a question of damages.”
“Our lives have already forever been drastically changed,” Simic said. “…We’re already victorious in the Navy admitting the harm. We just need to be victorious in them admitting the long-term harm so families such as mine can continue to heal and get better and have the quality of life that was taken from us.”
Scientists at Columbia and Rutgers have found that bottled water contains high amounts of nanoplastics. There is concern among some scientists that nanoplastics could be small enough to enter the bloodstream and be transported to organs, including the brain. David Schechter reports.
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Hemet, California — It happened in a matter of seconds. Security video showed 18-month-old Cole Petite shimmying out of his life preserver.
He then walked over to the family pool in Winchester, California, and slipped beneath the surface of the water.
“Just like a bag of bricks, just straight down to the bottom,” his father, Zachary Petite, told CBS News.
Petite was just feet away, putting sunblock on his daughter. He made a dive for his son and rescued him from the water.
“I think that I acted in any way that any normal parent would’ve reacted,” Petite said.
As a firefighter in nearby Hemet — which is located about 80 miles east of downtown Los Angeles — Petite has responded to drownings before. So at home, he has a pool fence and motion detectors.
“If I had gone inside, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go grab something to drink real quick, I’m gonna go use the restroom.’ That small amount of time could have been the difference between, you know, us planning a funeral or not,” Petite said.
An estimated 4,000 deaths per year in the U.S. are caused by unintentional drownings, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is one of the leading killers of children ages 1 to 4, with most drownings occurring in home swimming pools, the CDC says.
The American Lifeguard Association (ALA) reported that half of the nation’s 309,000 public pools could be forced to close or reduce their hours due to a lifeguard shortage.
“They’re not going to have a place to go and they’re going to start seeking out lakes, ponds, levies, waterway canals,” said Wyatt Werneth, an ALA spokesperson. “There’s no lifeguard there, and we’re gonna see more drownings as a result of it.”
Petite and the Hemet Fire Department posted home security camera video of the rescue to social media in the hopes of educating parents about water safety.
“I think if it ends up making a parent, making one parent, pay just a little bit more attention, and saves one kid from drowning, and then our message was successful,” Petite said.
GOODYEAR, Ariz., March 27, 2020 (Newswire.com)
– Study after study has shown the many benefits of aquatic therapy, both physically and mentally. With the help of the Float’n Thang®, a new flotation device distributed by Sunshine Innovations, many individuals with special needs can now easily float independently.
As many individuals around the country are currently confined to their homes, we need only take a moment to realize that there’s a population of people who are confined to their wheelchairs or bed permanently. Even the healthiest athletes are now confined inside during this virus outbreak. However, there is now hope for everyone to experience an outside fun activity as the summer season is just around the corner.
Hear what Michelle Campuzano of Arizona, an advocate for inclusion, has to say:
“My son David is a bright-eyed boy with special needs. I love seeing him enjoy activities that will get him out of the wheelchair.”
David was born with multiple disabilities, both intellectually and physically, including epilepsy and cerebral palsy. As anyone can imagine, with David’s physical limitations, it can be challenging to find accessible activities. Water-related activities are one of his favorites.
“In the past, typical flotation devices were either too small or too large for David to float in comfortably. Additionally, with these devices, it was mandatory for me to hold onto him constantly, to prevent him from tipping forward.”
With Float’n Thang, there is no inflation needed. It’s lightweight (less than 3 lbs). durably constructed of solid closed-cell foam and built to last.
“In less than 60 seconds, I can have David floating independently with me in the pool. And, for the first time, my hands are free! Of course, I’m still right by his side, floating on my own,” said Michelle.
“We now have an effective device that will allow and assist many individuals who might never have had the capability of learning how to swim, due to a disability,” said Pete Cabrera, co-owner. “They feel included in the fun and float just like anyone else.
Maintain proper supervision in the water.
Doug Masi, the inventor of the Float’n Thang, states,“Every aspect of this device was thought out in advance with specificity. The ability to have a device that acts as a headrest or backrest while at the beach, or just resting on your paddleboard, is useful. It’s also readily available to toss in the event someone might be struggling in the water. The device can float someone up to 300 lbs.”
Last summer, the Float’n Thang® was published in several leading magazines, such as “Pontoon & Deck Boat Magazine” (rated 91 out of 100 for innovative boating accessories); “LiveAbility Magazine,” which is distributed to the special needs and disabled community across the country; and “Lakeland Boating Magazine,” which called the Float’n Thang “The MacGyver of Flotation”; to name a few.
Media Contact: Doug Masi 480.331.5741 info@floatnthang.com
Dallas, Texas, August 8, 2017 (Newswire.com)
– Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation, a leader in high school outdoor education, and The LV Project, an organization dedicated to preventing lake drownings, have teamed up to deliver a one-of-a kind, powerfully-crafted curriculum for students who participate in Outdoor Adventures classes. The life vest curriculum is part of a comprehensive education program which teaches students about all types of outdoor activities including Hunter Education, Angling, Boater Education, and Paddle Sports. The curriculum will be distributed to educators in more than 320 schools in 22 states, reaching more than 30,000 students.
The life vest education component begins with the memorable story of 15-year-old Connor Gage, a high school freshman who, despite being an excellent swimmer and lifelong lake kid, lost his life to a lake drowning while at a friend’s birthday party in 2012. Students first learn Connor’s story in an interactive exercise called “Five Hours One Friday”, which provides insight into the circumstances which led to his death. The program builds on Connor’s story with useful, educational and powerful life-saving information that will benefit the students for years to come.
“It’s impossible to hear Connor’s story and not be moved. Losing a child is tragic. Losing a child to something preventable is downright devastating. We are honored to work with The LV Project to educate today’s youth on ways to be safe in natural water settings. Our goal is to prevent Connor’s story from being repeated,”
Scot McClure, Education Coordinator
“It’s impossible to hear Connor’s story and not be moved. Losing a child is tragic. Losing a child to something preventable is downright devastating. We are honored to work with The LV Project to educate today’s youth on ways to be safe in natural water settings. Our goal is to prevent Connor’s story from being repeated,” said Scot McClure, Education Coordinator, Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation.
According to statistics from the CDC, drowning rates in natural water settings triple at age 15 and remain elevated through adulthood. “Too many people assume knowing how to swim makes you drown-proof. Unlike in pools, with open water, it’s our teenage sons and our fathers who are at greatest risk,” says Dana Gage, Connor’s mom and Founder of The LV Project. “The prevalent attitude toward life vest wear is remarkably similar to how seat belts were viewed in the 70s… a nuisance and not needed,” she added. “Meanwhile, more and more people die needlessly each year. A $30 life vest would have saved my son. It’s tragic. But more importantly, it’s preventable. We applaud Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation for implementing a curriculum that will not only educate but save lives for years to come.”
Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death in the United States:
The #1 cause of accidental death ages 1 – 4, #2 under age 14, and 5th overall.
84% of boating fatalities are not wearing a life vest.
On average, 10 people die each day from unintentional drowning.
The course curriculum is fully aligned to state education standards and launches officially for the 2017-18 school year.
About Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF) began as Dallas Ecological Foundation in 1981 with the primary purpose to teach in-school outdoor education and to promote and fund conservation of wildlife worldwide. The OTF’s Outdoor Adventure program is taught in over 300 schools in 22 states, with 30,000 students currently enrolled and more than 180,000 student participants. Learn more at www.gootf.com
About The LV Project Founded in 2012 to honor the life of Connor Kelly Gage, The LV Project’s mission is buoyancy, on water and in life. During swim season, The LV Project focuses on “water buoyancy” and raises awareness for drowning prevention, specifically advocating for use of life vests. The rest of the time, The LV Project shifts its focus to “life buoyancy”, partnering with other non-profit organizations and completing service projects that give people in need a lift in their everyday lives. Learn more at http://www.thelvproject.org/
