Clearwater Firefighters To Hand Out Free Life Vests For Kids

CLEARWATER, FL -- The Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department and the Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition are teaming up to raise awareness about water safety issues and keeping kids safe.

Clearwater Fire & Rescue and the Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition will be at Station 46, 534 Mandalay Ave., on Clearwater Beach starting at 10 a.m. Monday. March 26 to hand out free children's life vests and water safety educational material.

"Partnering with Safe Kids is an important part of the educational process," said Chief Scott Ehlers of Clearwater Fire & Rescue. "We are committed, along with our community partners, to reduce the toll of water-related injuries and deaths."

"Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1 and 4. Florida leads the nation in the number of drownings each year," said Petra Vybiralova, Safe Kids supervisor at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. "That's why our coalition works tirelessly to prevent these tragedies from happening."

The Water Safety Committee of the Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition is the arm of the group helping to organize the Station 46 event, along with Clearwater Fire & Rescue.

The Water Safety Committee is made up of public safety and health representatives from across Pinellas County, including Clearwater Fire & Rescue, Baycare, St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation, East Lake Fire Rescue, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Palm Harbor Fire Rescue, the Pinellas County Health Department and Sunstar Paramedics.

For more information about the vest giveaway at Station 46 on March 26, contact Rob Shaw at (727) 562-4333.

Image via Clearwater Fire & Rescue