Recognizing that Broward County has the highest number of drowning deaths of any county in Florida, and drowning being the number one cause of unintentional deaths for children 1 to 4 years of age, the City of Oakland Park placed a special emphasis on drowning prevention and safety in the summer months of 2024 to combat these tragic trends.

In May, the City joined communities nationwide in proclaiming National Water Safety Month. At the August 7 Commission meeting, the City of Oakland Park Fire Rescue Department, the Florida Department of Health (FLDOH), and local drowning prevention advocate Sarah Perry celebrated the City's being named a Gold Water SMART Community, a statewide program and recognition from FLDOH.

This coalition of leaders, including Oakland Park Fire Rescue, Public Works, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office, has been working diligently to establish programs to prevent drownings. The shared mission is to protect children and adults from aquatic-related injuries by promoting safer behaviors and providing community education. The vision is to achieve and maintain a zero-drowning rate among children in Oakland Park and across Broward County.

There are three levels of designation in the Water SMART Community program: Bronze, Silver, and the highest level, Gold. To achieve gold designation, Oakland Park had to meet 18 requirements. 

Bronze Requirements:

• Include drowning prevention education in municipal-sponsored events.
• Provide drowning prevention education during municipal car seat installations.
• Use the Water SMART logo on various municipal communications, such as utility bills, quarterly Water SMART messages in newsletters, local TV stations, city social media, and community bulletins.
• Place Water SMART Broward PSAs in locations that residents visit frequently.
• Engage multi-unit housing complexes to install FREE Water SMART Broward pool safety signage and provide educational materials to all residents.
• Host annual Water SMART event, such as Water Safety Day, Drowning Impact Awareness, Water Walk for Safety, etc.
• Promote Florida Statute 515.27, which explains residential swimming pool requirements relating to pool safety features for pools built after October 1, 2000.

Silver Requirements:

• Link municipal websites to www.watersmartbroward.org through a logo or text link.
• Help educate local middle and high schools on Water Safety and Drowning Prevention. Offer CPR classes to residents at low or no cost.
• Offer CPR classes to municipal employees at low or no cost.
• Accept the Broward County kids' swim coupon at municipal pools.
• Offer parent and child swimming lessons to children as young as 6 months old.

Gold Requirements:

• Have group swim lessons available year-round at municipal pools.
• Promote swim central to all Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten VPK*, elementary, middle, and high schools within the municipality. The Swim Central Program provides 10 free 30-minute water-safety classes over a two-week period, taught by certified water-safety instructors during the school day for children between 5 and 16. 

 Sarah Perry assisted the City by working with Fire Prevention to install 10 Coast Guard-regulated rescue Life Rings around bodies of water in Oakland Park, including at Veteran’s Park and Royal Palm Park. Perry founded the Aden Perry Hero Life Ring initiative in memory of her son Aden, a student at Western High School in Davie who tragically lost his life trying to save an individual from a car that veered off the road and was submerged in a canal in 2022. Perry has spearheaded this effort in several Broward County municipalities.

To learn more, please visit www.watersmartbroward.org.