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Celebrate April Pools Day and Help Prevent Child Drownings
V8 Splash Brand and USA Swimming Launch Second Annual
Nationwide Water Safety Educational Initiative
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| CAMDEN, NJ, March 31, 2004 … It happens in the time it takes to
answer the phone. Most times, no one around will hear a scream, a splash
or any sounds of struggle. |
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| Drowning is the number one cause of death in children under five and
the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children
between the ages of one and 14. Surprisingly, most child drowning deaths
do not occur on lakeside vacations or boating trips on the high seas --
but right in a familiar backyard. |
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| More than 80% of drownings for children between the ages of 0-4 occur
at residential swimming pools. More than 50% of these drownings take place
in the child’s home pool, and about 33% occur at the pools of friends,
neighbors or relatives. Approximately 75% of drownings occur under a brief
lapse of parental supervision, usually less than five minutes. |
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| In light of these alarming statistics, V8 Splash® juice beverages
and USA Swimming, with the Stew Leonard’s Water Safety Foundation,
will launch the second annual April Pools Day™ campaign – a
national cause marketing initiative designed to introduce people to the
importance of pool safety. |
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| As part of the initiative, the V8 Splash brand will work with USA Swimming’s
2,800 local swim clubs across the country to open their doors to the community
on April 1, 2004 to spread the word on the increasing importance of water
safety for children. |
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The program includes a comprehensive educational initiative with tips,
literature and promotional materials that will be available through the
2,800 participating swim clubs.
Following are some of basic tips the V8 Splash brand and USA Swimming will
stress throughout the duration of the April Pools Day initiative: |
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- Supervision: The key to pool safety is constant supervision.
Even when a lifeguard is present, parents need to be attuned to what
their children are doing in the water. The National Safety Council stresses
that lifeguards have the ability to scan a water area within 10 seconds
and reach the person in distress within 20 seconds.
- Be Prepared: Families should have an action plan available
in case of emergency. Life preservers should be kept close to a pool.
All swimmers in the pool should know where the closest phone is if it
is necessary to dial 911. It is also useful to stage drills and practice
what might happen in an emergency situation. Finally, someone within
the vicinity of the pool should know CPR and CPR instructions should
be posted nearby.
- Knowledge is Power: The best tool to stay safe in any type
of water is to learn to swim. Local swim clubs offer swimming lessons
to people of all ages and at different skill levels, so both adults and
children can learn.
- Fence it In: Surround the pool with a fence that locks and
automatically closes. Make sure that the openings in the fence are no
more than four inches wide. Also, if any doors in the house go directly
to a pool access area, make sure that they are kept locked at all times.
- Keep it Clean: Keep all floats and toys away from the pool
when not in use. They can become obstacles for people walking around
the pool to trip over. Additionally, toys in the pool could lead curious
children to the water.
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ABOUT USA SWIMMING
USA Swimming is the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming.
It administers competitive swimming in accordance with the Amateur Sports
Act. It provides programs and services for our members, supporters, affiliates
and the interested public. It values these members of the swimming community,
and the staff and volunteers who serve them. Committed to excellence
and the improvement of the sport, one of USA Swimming’s primary
responsibilities is to select the team that will represent swimming at
the Olympic Games. |
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| ABOUT STEW LEONARD III WATER SAFETY FOUNDATION
The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation was founded in 1990 with the
mission to save lives through water safety education and awareness for
both children and adults.
Stew Leonard, Jr., President and CEO of Stew Leonard’s food stores,
and his wife, Kim, created the foundation in memory of their son, Stew
Leonard III, who died in 1989 in a drowning accident when he was 21 months
old. |
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| The Foundation provides scholarships for swimming lessons and safety
equipment through local YMCAs and Swim America, a nationally certified
learn to swim program offered by the American Swimming Coaches Association.
Since 1990, the Foundation has helped more than 10,000 children learn to
swim |
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| In October 2000, Kim and Stew Leonard were awarded the USA Swimming Safety
Commendation from USA Swimming, a national group of swim coaches and athletes.
In 2002, they published the first book to teach young children about the
importance of water safety, titled Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim and last
year created a video to accompany the book. For more information on the
Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, please visit www.stewietheduck.com. |
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ABOUT CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY
Campbell Soup Company is global manufacturer and marketer of high quality
soup, sauces, beverage, biscuits, confectionery and prepared food products.
The Company is 134 years old, with nearly $7 billion in annual sales
and a portfolio of more than 20 market-leading brands. The company is
ably supported by 25,000 full-time employees worldwide. For more information
on the company, visit Campbell’s website on the Internet at
www.campbellsoup.com. |
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