ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Fire Department is taking proactive steps to prevent child drowning incidents through a new safety initiative that provides free door alarm installations for families living near water.
Kelly Spragg, who has lived in her Lake Nona waterfront home for seven years, knows firsthand the risks of having young children near water. Her experience with her 5-year-old daughter’s unexpected venture outdoors prompted her to participate in the department’s Community Cares program.
“She went out the front door and I did not realize it until a few minutes later and she was in the driveway,” Spragg said. “It terrified me. It was very scary.”
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Deputy Chief Marvin Francis of the Orlando Fire Department emphasized the program’s preventive nature.
“There’s a high potential for drownings that could take place in pools or lakes,” Francis said. “With these alarms that we help install, it could alert somebody inside the residence, let them know that people have potentially stepped outside.”
The initiative marks a shift from traditional emergency response to prevention.
“So many times with the Fire Department we come out and we respond to people who are already having an emergency,” Francis said. “The great thing about this program is we actually have the opportunity to prevent the emergency before it ever happens.”
The Community Cares program provides and installs door alarms at no cost to Orlando residents. These devices serve as an early warning system, particularly crucial for families with young children living near water features.
For Spragg, who has two children ages 5 and 11, the program offers peace of mind. While describing her waterside location as “very nice, very serene,” she acknowledges the inherent risks that come with waterfront living.
Orlando residents interested in participating in the Community Cares program can apply through the city’s website here.