Local Kids Safety Organization Wins National Award

AKRON (NEWS TALK 1480 WHBC) – A local health organization is being recognized for its efforts to make a day by the pool as safe as possible for children. Safe Kids Summit County, a program led by Akron Children’s hospital, received the impact award from the International Gathering of Safety Professionals for its Safety around water program.

The Program aims to help children from ages 5 to 14 be comfortable around water and have the basic skills needed to be safe if they were to fall into a pool. It was originally developed in 2017 to counteract the high number of local children experiencing water related injuries.

Safe Kids Summit County officials say since the program’s inception and by the end of 2019, more than 2,500 Akron area children will have completed program. Safe Kids Summit County is led by Heather Trnka, the injury prevention coalition supervisor at Akron Children’s Hospital.