Thursday, October 3, 2013

Musician Keaton Simons plays for SOS Children’s Village at Baby Guard Owner's Home


Best Revenge Records artist, Keaton Simons will play a show at a private home in Delray Beach on Sunday, January 12 at 2 – 5 p.m. to benefit the foster children growing up at SOS Children’s Villages – Florida. The special performance comes at the invitation of Delray Beach business owners Gregory and Mary Ann Fried of Gregory’s Fine Jewelry who donate much of their time and hearts supporting south Florida charities like SOS. Special thanks to their friends, Michael and Wendy Schatzberg for opening their beautiful home for the event.

The Fried’s were introduced to Simons through a friend and were moved by his bluesy brand of both acoustic and electric guitar along with his compelling and soul-baring songs. “His music touched us,” says Mary Ann. “He has a depth and richness similar to some of the best songwriters like John Lennon and Bob Dylan and a voice as authentic as Ray Charles. How could we not be inspired?”

Inviting Simons back to south Florida, Mary Ann hopes guests will be inspired by his music as well. Proceeds from the afternoon’s show will help give the foster children growing up at SOS Florida a stable home, a happy childhood and the tools they need to build a bright future. On any given day there is an average of 75 boys and girls between the ages of 2 and 18, living in the Coconut Creek village. Each child has been removed from their homes and families because of abuse, abandonment and neglect. Through therapy, tutoring, life skills classes, support services and a safe and stable home, SOS helps the children begin a road of healing and recovery and empowers them for the future.

The Fried’s are looking forward to sharing the special performance which will include music from Simons’ sophomore album Beautiful Pain released earlier this year. The LP includes co-writes with friends and peers Jason Mraz, Jason Reeves, and Glen Phillips (Toad The Wet Sprocket) among others. “Keaton builds his songs with integral prowess without ever reaching into excess or being forced. The songs breathe life, fun, and excitement, and when they slow down; they still have a powerful sense of dynamic passion,” says music writer, Ryan Merkel.

Tickets for the SOS benefit featuring Keaton Simons are $25 per person for adults; $15 for children under 18. Festivities also include gourmet food by Fit Foodz Cafe, raffles and a live auction. Generous sponsors to date include: Gregory and Mary Ann Fried of Gregory’s Fine Jewelry; Michael and Wendy Schatzberg; Fit Foodz CafĂ©; Pilates of Boca and Simply the Best Magazine. For ticket information and underwriting opportunities, please call Vickie Walter at 954-420-5033.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Usher Breaks Silence on Son Nearly Drowning, Thanks "True Heroes" Who Saved His Child's Life

NEWS/ 

Usher Breaks Silence on Son Nearly Drowning, Thanks "True Heroes" Who Saved His Child's Life


UsherSplash News
It's been a rough and scary few days forUsher Raymond.
The R&B singer's 5-year-old son Usher Raymond V is currently in an Atlanta hospital after nearly drowning in the celeb's pool on Monday, and tonight, Usher has decided to address the situation for the first time since the horrific accident occurred.
"I am blessed and fortunate to say that my son Usher V is doing well and is recovering," Raymond said in a statement.
"I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of prayers, love and support for my family's well-being. I would like to thank my Aunt Rena as well as the doctors and nurses who are working with us around the clock," he continued.
"I would especially like to thank the two men who saved my son's life, Eugene Stachurski and Ben Crews. They are true heroes and I am deeply grateful to them."
A friend of Usher's ex-wife Tameka Foster took to her blog to give an update on Usher Raymond V, saying that he's doing "fine," and "currently in stable condition at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite and is being held for observation."
The incident happened two days ago when the young boy's arm got stuck in a pool drain while he was underwater trying to retrieve a toy. His aunt and a housekeeper unsuccessfully tried to free him before contractors working in the house got him out of the pool and performed CPR on him.
Earlier today, Foster filed paperwork requesting an emergency custody hearing in the wake of the pool accident that will take place in Atlanta on Friday. Foster is asking a Georgia judge to immediately award her temporary custody of all her minor children currently under Usher's care, including their other son together, 4-year-old Naviyd.
This comes just a year after Usher's late stepson, Kile Glover (Foster's biological son), died after being struck by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Saving Children Under Five From Drowning

So on this holiday week, what is better than this, the sound of a child splashing. Well, this one just 16 months old, a kind of olympian. But even the strongest swimmers have reason to be cautious because drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under five.

Tonight linsey davis wants to show us something new. Reporter: Keep an eye on the little boy in blue, watch as he slips under the surface without warning, vanishing immediately. A parent's nightmare, but now picture this, a device that can warn you when your child is in trouble.

This is a wahoo swim band. It's worn over the forehead and when submerged longer than 20 seconds, it sends out a signal. These lights start flashing yellow, after 30 seconds it sounds a siren.

For kids, it's just like putting on a pair of goggles. How'd it feel swimming having that on? Um, it doesn't really affect how you swim.

It's just there. Reporter: For adults, it's a cutting-edge safety upgrade. The new canaan, connecticut ymca paid $30,000 to install the system in this pond, just the sixth installation anywhere in the world.

Why did you feel a lifeguard wasn't enough? Because you're only as good as your best lifeguard on a bad day. Reporter: Watch, even in a clear swimming pool, how the movement blurs the presence of a swimmer.

In murky water like a pond, it's even more dramatic. Look how this bright yellow dummy just vanishes. For decades, the best way to find a lost swimmer was to form a rescue line, sweeping the area step-by-step.

But now, lifeguards can pinpoint a swimmer with this locator. I was a lifeguard, back in 1980 was when I went through my training. Reporter: Hardly anything has changed?

Absolutely. Reporter: Safety experts calls this device a game changer. It gives you the ability to learn very quickly that you have someone in trouble, and it gives you the ability to locate them very quickly. 

Thursday, June 6, 2013

The signs of drowning may not be what you think

The signs of drowning may not be what you think

The signs of drowning may not be what you think
Credit: AFP/Getty Images


by KING 5 News
Posted on June 5, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Updated yesterday at 1:11 PM
Parents who want to keep their kids safe in pools, lakes and rivers this summer should heed this warning from the U.S. Coast Guard: If your child looks like they are quietly treading water, they may actually be drowning.

An article in the Journal of U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue titled “It Doesn’t Look Like They’re Drowning” breaks down the signs of what is called Instinctive Drowning Response. The article was written in 2006, but it received new life this week in a post on Slate.com – written by one of the original authors – which has spread quickly across social media.

Most people would assume that a drowning person would be splashing, waving and yelling for help. Aviation Survival Technician First Class Mario Vittone and Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D say that’s not possible during Instinctive Drowning Response.
Bottom line: The quiet person who looks like they are simply treading water, with their head back and mouth open, is more likely to be drowning. It’s something to think about when normally loud children are playing in the water.

This list is an excerpt from the original 2006 Coast Guard article.
  1. Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary, or overlaid, function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
  2. Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
  3. Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
  4. Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
  5. From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response, people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
Vittone says the best test is to ask a person in the water if they are OK. If all you get back is a blank stare, you may only have seconds to rescue them.
A person splashing around and calling for help could still be in trouble, but Vittone and Pia say those people are in aquatic distress, which means they can still assist themselves. However, that phase doesn’t last long.
KING 5's Travis Pittman contributed to this report

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Water and Swimming Pool Safety Tips by Baby Guard

Pool Safety Tips
Parents whose children have drowned say the day of the tragedy started out just like any other day. No matter how the drowning happened, one thing was the same for all these parents: The three tragic seconds that claimed their child's life slid by silently, without warning, and can never be brought back.
Here are steps you can take for guarding children in and around water:

Protection:

  • Use layers of barrier protection between children and water to warn and impede:
  • A non-climbable four-foot fence that separates the pool/spa from the residence. Opening should be no more than four inches wide so children cannot squeeze through the spaces.
  • Self-closing and self-latching fence gates, side gates and doors leading to the pool/spa area, with latches above a child's reach (54 inches high). Gates should open outward.
  • Alarms on doors and windows leading to the water, installed about five feet above ground level so that a child cannot reach them.

In addition to these protective devices, routinely follow these practices:

  • Maintain all safety devices to ensure they are in good working order.
  • Secure and lock all doors, windows and gates leading to the pool/spa area when not in use.
  • Drain standing water from pool/spa covers. Remove covers completely before using the pool/spa and replace them immediately after use.
  • Never leave toys in or around the pool/spa and place items which can be used for climbing (tables, chairs, planters) away from fences.

Supervision:

Curiosity, rapidly changing skills and an ability to understand danger place young children at high risk. Adults must establish and communicate responsibility for child supervision:
  • Assign an adult "water watcher" to supervise the pool/spa area, especially during social gatherings.
  • Assign a second adult to maintain constant visual contact with children in the pool/spa area. Don't assume someone else is watching a child.
  • Never leave a child alone near a pool or spa, bathtub, toilet, water-filled bucket, pond or any standing water in which a child's nose and mouth may be submersed.
  • Don't rely on swimming lessons, life preservers or other equipment to make a child "water safe."
  • Don't allow children to play in the pool/spa area.
  • Look in the pool area first if a child is missing.
  • Communicate pool safety measures with the baby-sitter and train the sitter in infant/child CPR.

Preparation:

  • Insist anyone over 14 years old has current certification in infant/child CPR.
  • Learn how to swim and learn rescue techniques. Mount rescue equipment by the pool (lifesaving ring, shepherd's hook and CPR sign). Many float-type toys are thought to be lifesavers. They aren't. They are only toys and should be used only as toys (arm floats and inflatable rings).
  • Post the 9-1-1 emergency phone number on your phones. Have a phone near the pool area. Don't leave children unattended while talking on the phone.
  • Teach everyone how to use safety equipment and how to call 9-1-1.

Drowning Statistics:

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths to children ages 14 and under. It can happen in a matter of seconds - in the time it takes to answer the phone. There is often no splashing to warn of trouble. Children can drown in small quantities of water and are at risk in their own homes from wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, and toilets, as well as swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs.
The statistics are frightening. Each year in the United States, 1,150 children (ages 14 and under) drown - more than half of these children are preschoolers (ages 0-4). An estimated 5,000 children (ages 14 and under) are hospitalized due to near-drownings, and of children surviving near-drownings, 5-20 percent suffer severe and permanent disability.
Summer can be one of the most exciting and fun-filled times of the year, but also one of the most dangerous. Two-thirds of yearly drowning accidents happen between May and August so be prepared! In recognition of Drowning Prevention and Awareness month, take a few moments to familiarize yourself with what it takes to stay safe and have fun.

General Water Safety Tips to Live By:

  • When the sun comes out and the weather heats up, community pools open for the season and people head to the beach for the first time. Many lives can be saved and injuries prevented this summer by following some simple water safety tips:
  • Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone.
  • Know your swimming limits and stay within them. Don't try to keep up with a stronger skilled swimmer or encourage others to keep up with you.
  • Swim in supervised areas only.
  • Obey "No Diving" signs.
  • Watch out for the "dangerous too's"--too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
  • Don't mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, and coordination, affects swimming and diving skills and reduces the body's ability to stay warm.
  • Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when boating and fishing.
  • Know local weather conditions and prepare for electrical storms. Because water conducts electricity, it is wise to stop swimming or boating as soon as you see or hear a storm.

Preparation is Key to Prevention

Home swimming pools are becoming more common every day. They provide an excellent means of recreation for the entire family and friends for a large part of the year. But beware; they are dangerous if not monitored properly. You must be aware of the potentially hazardous properties of a pool.
Just how serious is the problem? Drowning is the number one cause of death for children under five in Florida, Arizona, and California with a ranking of number two for over a dozen other states. For every drowning there are eleven near drowning incidents, according to government statistics, many of which result in totally disabling brain damage.
The majority of the parents involved were responsible people who thought it could never happen to their family. They were careful and had close supervision over their children. Many were in upper income brackets, educated, and could afford nice homes with pools in family-oriented communities. So we are literally talking about people who could live next door to you.
Supervision is always the primary layer of protection, but as studies show, 69 percent of drowning incidents occurred when parental supervision failed and there were not other "backup layers" in place, such as pool gates (with locks) or alarms on access doors. There can be no compromise on pool safety as it can truly become a life and death situation. Pool rules need to be set and obeyed. A pool drowning is not necessarily an "accident", it is foreseeable and therefore preventable. Keep your family safe this summer and be prepared!
Learn more about your primary layer of protection, removable mesh pool fences. Right now.
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CHILDREN DROWN WITHOUT A SOUND SO WATCH THE WATER

Monday, April 1, 2013

Unlicensed Pool Contractors Nabbed in California Sting


Unlicensed Pool Contractors Nabbed in California Sting

By AQUA EditorsMarch 18, 2013 15:49 PM
A statewide crackdown on unlicensed general contractors in California last week led to nearly 80 people taken into custody for operating without a license, including those who claimed to be pool contractors. The news was welcomed by legitimate, licensed contractors in the state who operate at a financial disadvantage to contractors working in California's large "underground economy."
The Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT), part of The California Contractors State License Board, partnered with police for stings in Orange, Lawndale, San Bernardino, Chico, Oakdale and Bakersfield. Undercover agents posed as homeowners seeking bids on contract work like painting, electrical work, landscaping, masonry and swimming pool maintenance; most of those caught in the sting advertised their services on Craigslist.
According to California law, a person must hold a license to work on jobs valued at $500 or more, labor and materials included. As one source reported, one man told investigators he would replace pool equipment for $7,500.
As another source reports, of the 78 facing misdemeanor charges for contracting without a licence, 57 may also be charged with illegal advertising and 24 others may be charged with requesting an excessive down payment. Seventeen were issued stop orders. Those convicted of misdemeanor contracting without a license face up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
However, some of the suspects already have criminal backgrounds. Among those taken into custody included a registered sex offender, a man with a prior conviction of statutory rape and a third on federal probation for bribery.  
Late last month, the CSLB caught eight unlicensed contractors in the San Jose neighborhood. “Front-loading,” or asking for an excessive down payment, was one of the violations found during the sting operation conducted by the SWIFT team. One of the eight unlicensed individuals caught during the sting bid on a patio project asked for a down payment of $7,000, or more than 30 percent of the project, when the legal limit is 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less.
All eight suspects face misdemeanor charges of contracting without a license, again meaning they face up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines. Seven face an additional misdemeanor charge of illegal advertising; state law requires that contractors include their license number in all print, broadcast and online advertisements. Those without a license can advertise as long as the ad states that they are not a state-licensed contractor and the combined total of a project’s labor and materials costs is under $500.
In 2012, CSLB investigations resulted in 3,454 legal actions, with a record 1,188 referred to local prosecutors.

AQUA Editors