PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The Centers for Disease Control said the leading cause of death — and the most preventable — for kids ages 4 and under is drowning.
According to the Department of Children and Families, 56 children have died from drowning this year in Florida. An organization trying to prevent drownings is the Live Like Jake Foundation, which provides awareness and swimming lessons.
Keri Morrison, the executive director of Live Like Jake, started the program after her son died after falling into the Intracoastal Waterway in 2013.
Her foundation raises awareness for childhood drowning prevention, provides financial and emotional support for families who have experienced a drowning accident and provide scholarships for self-rescue swim lessons for families that cannot afford them.
Live Like Jake advocates Layers of Protection to protect kids from drowning including:
- Adult Supervision
- Doors/Windows locked and alarmed at all times
- Remove pet doors
- Pool Fences that are four-sided and 4 feet tall
- Quality self-rescue swim lessons
- Learn CPR
Katie Smith, an Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) instructor, works with Live Like Jake to train children ages 6 months and older in Palm Beach Gardens. The public can sign up for her classes or other ISR-certified classes at LiveLikeJake.com.
