The Escambia County Children’s Trust has about $8 million in its coffers. The trust is a countywide special taxing district created by referendum in 2020 with the mission of investing taxpayer dollars for services and programs that improve the lives, health and well-being of Escambia County’s children and families. It has the power to levy up to 0.5 mil.
Last Friday, the trust announced a request for proposals to develop an awareness campaign that highlights the importance of water safety and/or early childhood education. The proposals are due July 27.
Inweekly questioned why the trust was placing a priority on water safety. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families’ website, Escambia County has only averaged 1.2 child drownings annually over the past five years:
2021: 2
2020: 2
2019: 1
2018: 1
2017: 0
According to the 2020 census, Escambia County has more than 19,000 children under the age of five – about 6% of the county’s total population.
The most significant cause of child fatalities is sleep-related – an average of five annually, which is five times higher than drownings. From 2017-2021: 25 sleep-related deaths.
This year, no children under the age of five have died from drowning. There are three deaths – all under 3 – that are under investigation.
Executive Director Tammy Greer explained that the state legislature has placed a priority on water safety, citing a new statute that requires each public school to provide parents with information on the important role water safety education courses and swimming lessons play in saving lives.
“We have very little educational resources other than what DCF offers on its website for Escambia County,” wrote Greer. “We contacted every local public swimming pool and YMCA to see where families can get free or reduced-price swim lessons. There is a dearth of resources and not enough lifeguards or swim instructors this year due to pandemic-related hiring challenges.”
She added, “While there are typically only one or two deaths per year, they are 100% preventable. This initiative is a preventative measure. One preventable death of a child is one too many.”
Greer pointed while state lawmakers passed this mandate on the school district, they provided no additional funding. “We felt that the developing informational materials that could be used by the school district and identifying the availability of swim lessons would be valuable to the community.”
Only one of the six drownings in Escambia County from 2017-2021 were older than four and possibly enrolled in the school district.
The lingering question is how are school district’s without a children’s trust handling the water safety requirement.
