ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – St. Petersburg Fire Rescue and the city’s Parks and Recreation Aquatics Department teamed up this past weekend for their 6th Annual Firefighter and Lifeguard Car Wash Fundraiser, raising over $1,000 to support free swim lessons for local children.
The event, held at Northwest Pool on Saturday, February 15th, saw firefighters and lifeguards trading their rescue gear for sponges and hoses to wash cars in exchange for donations. The community came out in force, helping to raise a total of $1,085, enough to provide 80 free swim lessons.
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“I’ve seen firsthand how essential swim lessons are in preventing tragedies,” said Anita Westmoreland, Aquatics Supervisor II for the City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation. “No child should lose their life because they didn’t have access to basic water safety skills.”
Drowning is a leading cause of death for young children, and Florida, unfortunately, leads the nation in child drowning deaths. This event highlighted the importance of water safety education and provided a fun way for the community to support drowning prevention efforts.
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“Our job is to keep the community safe, and that starts with prevention,” said Fire Marshal Chief Ian Womack. “Our personnel respond to medical emergencies every day, but events like this allow us to be proactive. By raising awareness and funding swim lessons, we’re working to prevent tragedies before they happen.”
In addition to swim lessons, the organizers emphasized the importance of a multi-layered approach to water safety, including barriers, supervision, life jackets, and CPR training.
The City of St. Petersburg offers free swim lessons to qualifying residents through its aquatic programs. Families interested in learning more or donating to the Swim Lesson Program can visit stpeteparksrec.org.
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