Summer 2005 Spotlight:

Muskegon County Water Safety Campaign

The bookmark developed by the team showcased the 'mascot' that the team adopted for their prevention effort, Safety Sam (see below).

A Water Safety Committee was formed as a result of the Muskegon County Child Death Review Team's drowning reviews. The committee developed:

• a movie trailer for local theaters

• a sign at the beach

• bookmarks distributed in schools

• placemats distributed in restaurants

• presentations at schools and local YMCA

• kids water safety awareness day

• PSAs for the radio

• water safety page added to county health department web site

• an article in the local chamber of commerce newsletter

Task Force members included representatives from local community agencies: American Red Cross Muskegon/Oceana Chapter, Muskegon Family YMCA, Muskegon County Health Department, US Coastguard Muskegon Station, Muskegon County SAFEKIDS, Community Coordinating Council, Department of Human Services, Muskegon Power Squadron, County Sheriff Marine Division, and the City of Muskegon.

Project funding included in-kind services from: Muskegon County SAFEKIDS, Howmet Castings, Mercy General Health Partners, Muskegon Chronicle, County of Muskegon Juvenile Justice, American Red Cross volunteers, FUN, Inc., City of Muskegon, Bernadette Young, and the Muskegon County Health Department.

An adjoining county also formed their own similar task force with a web site, water safety games and Corps of Engineers pier and beach safety video in the works. Since Muskegon's committee has been working to educate the public, we have had no drowning deaths in Lake Michigan in our county.