Florida has one of the highest rates of unintentional drownings among children in the United States, a statistic that Councilwoman Jenifer N. Bailey is working to change with the help of Firefighter Chief Ricardo Centeno and Fire Station 16. At the November Special Council Presentation, Councilwoman Bailey presented a certificate of appreciation to Chief Centeno and Fire Station 16 for their donation of life jackets to Roby George Park Pool.
“Having residents feel safe and confident while in the pool is the ultimate goal of the program” stated Councilwoman Bailey. She continued “I’ve had the pleasure to work with Chief Centeno on several water safety programs including distributing water safety lanyards at Roby George Park Pool.”
“The life jackets will save lives and put less strain on lifeguards,” remarked Chief Centeno as members of Fire Station 16 joined him by the dais to accept the certificate of appreciation.
To prevent drowning, life jackets function as a way to keep the swimmer’s head above water. The life jackets will be available at the swimming pool free of charge for both adults and children. Swimmers can pick up the life jackets as they enter Roby George Park pool and return them at the end of their swim.
The life jackets will be an additional safety measure at the pool with lifeguards on staff at all times. The pool at Roby George Park (201 SW 11th Avenue, Homestead, FL 33030) is free to use for Homestead residents and is open Monday through Friday 3pm -7pm and 10am – 6pm on weekends. Guests who live outside the city limits will be charged $2 to use the facility.
Later in the presentation, Councilwoman Bailey also announced that a Firefighter of the Year program will commence this year, stating “it’s a way to say thank you to the brave individuals that have gone above and beyond and always respond when they are needed.”