ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It's an unfortunate statistic. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in the U.S. for children ages one to four years old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
It's also the third leading cause of unintentional death among children and teens ages five to 19 years old, according to the report.
And, in 2021, a record number of children drowned in Florida, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue says, citing state data. Within each of the cases, parents or caregivers reportedly became distracted and lost track of the child.
In an effort to ensure safety, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation, the Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition and Treasure Island Fire Rescue are all joining together to host a life jacket giveaway.
Editor's note: This event has been moved to Monday, March 14, given the threat of strong storms this weekend.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, March 14, those who attend will receive water safety information and life jackets while supplies last. The giveaway is being held at the city of St. Petersburg Municipal Beach, located at 11260 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, Florida 33706.
Life jackets will be provided by Pinellas County EMS' Drowning Prevention and Awareness Program.
"Having other protections like life jackets in place is critical," St. Petersburg Fire Rescue said in a press release. "To fight these tragic statistics, we must work together as a community to prevent these tragedies from occurring."
