Water Safety Council of Fresno County Timeline
The following content will reflect the projects and initiatives the Water Safety Council of Fresno County has addressed over the years.
Brief story of the origins of the Council
Rod Anaforian (Past Fresno City Councilman (1985-1993) recalled the event that triggered his determination to follow a path to advocacy for canal safety in May 1982 after the drowning of a 6 year old. Michael Hardin was discovered in the Helm canal near Eaton Elementary school neighborhood. After citizens searched everywhere for the missing boy, he was later found drowned in a canal where he had become trapped in a shopping cart in an open culvert near his home. This became an important community issue that pushed Anaforian, bringing the danger of open smaller community canals in the Fresno and Clovis area as a news event of the time. He proposed burying these canals as a permanent solution to a common problem of annual drownings in Fresno after he recognized the covered-canal approach while traveling in Kern County. He and Ms. Bongiovanni were two of a growing number of community citizens that brought drowning solutions to the forefront. The Water Safety Task Force was created and the Fresno Irrigation Direct executive director recognized the importance of support and financial backing and is joined by many County irrigation districts. Other leaders of the community began speaking out on a KMJ radio talk show in 1983. The current chairman of the Water Safety Council of Fresno County, a Clovis pediatrician, heard that show, and joined the Task Force, and continues today as a water safety advocate. The Fresno City Council and Fresno County Board of Supervisors later recognized the importance of supporting drowning prevention strategies and education in schools. Fresno County irrigation districts continue to participate and support the efforts of drowning prevention and safety. (Participating Water Safety Council Executive) City of Fresno Memorandum
In 1982, some Fresno residents became concerned when a child drowned in a local canal. This group recognized the larger danger to all children and their concern resulted in a Task Force of regular citizens. Their advocacy to reduce drowning was promoted to the public and the influencers of the community. Fresno County irrigation district supported the effort with annual contributions that continue today. Later the Fresno City Council and Fresno County Board of Supervisors acknowledged the issue.
In 1993, the task force became known as the Water Safety Council of Fresno County and was established as a 501 (c) (3) non profit .
1996-2000 The Water Safety Council has a multidisciplinary membership and believes many strategies should be carried out to reduce drowning and near-drowning statistics. The Council’s primary goal is to educate adults and children to make them aware of ways to reduce water-related injury and death. The Council advocates for appropriate regulations, posting warning signs, boating safety programs, use of life jackets and mandating safety barriers for all swimming pools. Water safety should be a concern of every resident in Fresno County.
Council Members come from all walks of life, including:
City and County agencies
County Sheriff’s Deputies
Emergency medical services workers
Federal and State agencies
Fire departments
Hospitals and physicians
Independent water districts
Interested citizens
Local irrigation and flood control districts
Park Rangers
Red Cross
Rehabilitation workers
The school system
In 2000 Water Safety Teacher In-Servicing for Elementary School Teachers
Presenters from the WSC visit local schools to provide K-3 teachers with free Water Safety Curriculum Kits and instruction on how to use them. The Kit consists of a water safety video geared toward younger children, an accompanying curriculum guide, and a water safety coloring book. The Kit gives valuable, life-saving information about safe behavior around six bodies of water: lakes, rivers, swimming pools, spas, canals, and ponding basins. To date, approximately two-thirds of Fresno County’s K-3 classes have had their teachers in-serviced on how to teach water safety and have Water Safety Curriculum Kits donated by the WSC on their campuses.
Water Safety Educators
Two Fresno State University students, trained by the WSC, visit the following recreation areas each summer weekend from July to the end of September: Avocado Lake, Lost Lake, Reedley Beach, Skaggs Bridge, and Winton Park. The Water Safety Educators are both bilingual (English/ Spanish and English/Hmong) and speak to individuals and families about how crucial basic safety is around water. The Educators spend several hours at each location, alternating sites each weekend. They explain the importance of
wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs) around lakes and rivers,
close supervision of children around all bodies of water,
swimming lessons,
refraining from drinking alcohol around water
not swimming alone
This community education program completed its fourth consecutive year in 2000 and is seeking funding to extend its seasonal operation by one month. The number of (families/individuals) reached in 2000 was 3,500; the total number reached from 1996 through 2000 was approximately 10,000.
Health and Safety Fairs
The WSC shares its message of water safety with the community by having representatives attend numerous health and safety fairs in Fresno County throughout the year. The scope of these fairs is broad, and they are hosted by private groups and public agencies. The fairs give WSC representatives the opportunity to talk with the public one-on-one about the importance of water safety. Informational materials filled with life-saving safety tips are distributed, along with lists of local swimming lesson providers. Also distributed are Water Guardian Tags - a simple but effective tool to help families ensure their children are constantly supervised around bodies of water.
Public Speaking and Presentations
WSC representatives speak before groups of various sizes throughout the year. Hands-on demonstration tools and the instructional video from the Water Safety Curriculum Kit enhance the WSC’s message on water safety for children and adults of all ages. The value of pool barriers and the use of PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices) are stressed during these presentations, as are the dangers of using alcohol and drugs near water, and the necessity of giving swimming lessons to all children over the age of three (a list of area swimming lesson providers can be found on the WSC web site).
In 2004, WSC received a $300,000 education grant from First 5 Fresno County. The project was to educate parents or guardians with a brochure called Water Watchers about the vital importance of close adult supervision of children while they are in and around water. Free training sessions were offered by nurses from Children’s Hospital Central California and Water Safety Council to groups throughout Fresno County. While the grant project has been completed, the video and training materials developed are being distributed and presented. The video is available in English, Spanish and Hmong.
In 2005 Public TV (PBS) added time to discuss the water safety issues as part of their programming.
2023 Update
Media campaigns have dominated much of the efforts to educate by Council members. Also a 2 year initiate with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department yielded mapping information intended to show trends in drowning injury sites. The hope was to determine a pattern of injuries in certain locations. With that information policies may be developed to promote advocacy or other solutions that might reduce injuries. Beyond boosts in Meta or Facebook to distribute PSA educational videos and with our YouTube channel . This is followed up with analytics about which messsages can be impactful. Also continued reachout to public schools by starting a campaign directly through Peachjar.com services that are distributed digitally to families of children attending schools in Fresno County.