Planned Events April 2010

Minnesota Cold Water Awareness Day - Saturday - April 24, 2010

An early report by Ron Jacobson, Brian James Jacobson's grandfather

4-20-2010

The sixth annual Minnesota Cold Water Awareness Day has been proclaimed by Governor Tim Pawlenty for Saturday, April 24, 2010. For four of the past five years coldwaterwarning.com has held a news conference to promote water safety and to educate folks, especially young swimmers, about the danger of cold water. This year we will do as we did last year and NOT hold a news conference at riverside on Harriet Island. Instead, we will send out a Media Advisory and provided names and phone numbers of specialists who are willing to be interviewed and who work to make water recreation safe and who are there to provide rescue operations if needed.

We are very happy to report that in the past five years all whom we have asked to participate in our educational efforts have said yes and more - what can we do. It is as if we all know how important this message is - cold water is dangerous and can cause drowning. Youngsters must learn about this - and it is up to us adults to educate them. I believe that if my grandson (who drowned in cold water six years ago) had been taught that could water can take away his strength to swim, he would most likely be alive and with us today. I believe it was cold shock and swimming failure, not hypothermia, that were the reasons my grandson drowned. If he had known - and if he had worn a life jacket - things might have been different.

We are so fortunate to be in Minnesota and the land of 10,000 lakes. Enjoy the lakes - and make them safe for everyone - especially the young in the spring. Please teach youngsters about cold water awareness and the need to wear life jackets when boating. Thanks.

------

MN COLD WATER AWARENESS DAY – April 24, 2010

This annual reminder of the need to teach our children about the danger of cold water to young swimmers and boaters is made in hopes of saving lives. It’s not hypothermia that is the first danger. Shock, inhaling of water when first submerged and losing use of arms and legs to swim are some factors that can cause death by drowning. Join with the nonprofit corporation coldwaterwarning.com and others to teach about cold water danger and the need to wear a life jacket. This is the sixth year that the Governor has issued a cold water awareness day proclamation.

It should be noted that Cold Water Awareness is getting some regional national traction – it is on the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators website and the MN DNR is running a Cold Water Awareness Video on Channel 45 at 11 AM on Saturday, April 24 and on local cable access channels throughout the month.

On Thursday, April 22, coldwaterwarning.com will be participating in the EarthFest celebration at the Minnesota Zoo.

------

Finally, here is a copy of the Governor's Proclamation: Minnesota Cold Water Awareness Day - April 24, 2010