Diver Dan joins Van Buren Township dive team
Ashley Dobos
Staff Writer
Diver Dan has joined the Van Buren Township Underwater Search and Recovery Team and so far, hes a pretty popular guy.
The dive team started a new program recently to educate the community about the dangers of drowning in and around the home, and Diver Dan has proven invaluable to their efforts to reach citizens and especially, children.
The program stresses water awareness, said Det. Louis Keele. Its a way to get citizens more involved with the community.
When two children drowned within a month of each other in Indianapolis in 2000 from swimming in ponds, the Water Awareness in Residential Neighborhoods was created.
Its really a new program for us, said Lt. Daniel Besson.
The program provides education about drowning dangers using Diver Dan. He educates all ages about potential hazards in the home including buckets, toilets, tubs and small pools.
Its important to bring education to the community, said Keele.
Diver Dan also shows threats from surrounding bodies of water around the home including streams, lakes, ponds, ditches, rivers, and swimming pools. He teaches people how to prevent tragedies from happening. The program stresses the importance of wearing life jackets and/or using flotation devices when working and playing in the water, officials said.
The program teaches children to wear life jackets on boats and not to swim alone, said Besson.
There are two different programs that the Dive Team offers one for adults, and one for children. The programs consist of videos, power point presentations, handouts, and packets.
The program shows how water can be fun but dangerous at the same time, said Keele.
Diver Dan and his Dive Team assistants can be scheduled by local organizations for free to come educate about drowning threats. To schedule Diver Dan and his assistants, contact firefighter Angela Hayes at (734) 699-8900 extension 9416 or email her at ahayes@vanburen-mi.org or Keele at (734) 699-8917 or email him at lkeele@vanburen-mi.org.
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Van Buren Township
Program describes drowning dangers
The Van Buren Township Underwater Search and Recovery Team has launched a new program to educate the community about drowning dangers in and near their homes.
Water Awareness in Residential Neighborhoods was created after two metropolitan Indianapolis children drowned within a month of each other in two retention ponds in 2000. The program has since spread to other parts of the country.
WARN uses a character named Diver Dan who identifies water hazards in the home, including filled buckets, tubs, toilets, or small "kiddie'' pools, and bodies of water near the home, including ponds, streams, lakes, river, ditches, or swimming pools. Diver Dan teaches ways to prevent tragedies, reinforcing the importance of wearing life jackets or other flotation devices when boating, or working and playing near water.
Local organizations and associations may schedule sessions with "Diver Dan'' and his dive team assistants through firefighter Angela Hayes, at 734-699-8900, ext. 9416 or at ahayes@vanburen-mi.org, or through Detective Louis Keele at 734-699-8917 or lkeele@vanburen-mi.org.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE W.A.R.N. PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:
http://www.warnonline.org
Ashley Dobos
Staff Writer
Diver Dan has joined the Van Buren Township Underwater Search and Recovery Team and so far, hes a pretty popular guy.
The dive team started a new program recently to educate the community about the dangers of drowning in and around the home, and Diver Dan has proven invaluable to their efforts to reach citizens and especially, children.
The program stresses water awareness, said Det. Louis Keele. Its a way to get citizens more involved with the community.
When two children drowned within a month of each other in Indianapolis in 2000 from swimming in ponds, the Water Awareness in Residential Neighborhoods was created.
Its really a new program for us, said Lt. Daniel Besson.
The program provides education about drowning dangers using Diver Dan. He educates all ages about potential hazards in the home including buckets, toilets, tubs and small pools.
Its important to bring education to the community, said Keele.
Diver Dan also shows threats from surrounding bodies of water around the home including streams, lakes, ponds, ditches, rivers, and swimming pools. He teaches people how to prevent tragedies from happening. The program stresses the importance of wearing life jackets and/or using flotation devices when working and playing in the water, officials said.
The program teaches children to wear life jackets on boats and not to swim alone, said Besson.
There are two different programs that the Dive Team offers one for adults, and one for children. The programs consist of videos, power point presentations, handouts, and packets.
The program shows how water can be fun but dangerous at the same time, said Keele.
Diver Dan and his Dive Team assistants can be scheduled by local organizations for free to come educate about drowning threats. To schedule Diver Dan and his assistants, contact firefighter Angela Hayes at (734) 699-8900 extension 9416 or email her at ahayes@vanburen-mi.org or Keele at (734) 699-8917 or email him at lkeele@vanburen-mi.org.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Van Buren Township
Program describes drowning dangers
The Van Buren Township Underwater Search and Recovery Team has launched a new program to educate the community about drowning dangers in and near their homes.
Water Awareness in Residential Neighborhoods was created after two metropolitan Indianapolis children drowned within a month of each other in two retention ponds in 2000. The program has since spread to other parts of the country.
WARN uses a character named Diver Dan who identifies water hazards in the home, including filled buckets, tubs, toilets, or small "kiddie'' pools, and bodies of water near the home, including ponds, streams, lakes, river, ditches, or swimming pools. Diver Dan teaches ways to prevent tragedies, reinforcing the importance of wearing life jackets or other flotation devices when boating, or working and playing near water.
Local organizations and associations may schedule sessions with "Diver Dan'' and his dive team assistants through firefighter Angela Hayes, at 734-699-8900, ext. 9416 or at ahayes@vanburen-mi.org, or through Detective Louis Keele at 734-699-8917 or lkeele@vanburen-mi.org.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE W.A.R.N. PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:
http://www.warnonline.org
