The Water Safety Community Event is a way to raise awareness about the risks around water and how to minimize them.
"Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for kids ages 1-4, the deaths are even higher for minorities," explained Leslie Daland, the Vice President of non-profit Stop Drowning Now and owner of Daland Swim School. She says there are ways to prevent drowning.
"Drowning is silent, and it can happen so fast," Daland told KCLU. "And it can happen to anyone."
She said there are measures including fencing, removing toys from the pool, and learning to swim, which can help reduce the risks.
"23% of child drownings actually happen at family gatherings when people are right there, she said.
“Drowning is 100% preventable,” said Daland. “There are many things you can do to reduce your risk. Every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim, and every family should have the tools they need to be safe around the water."
The event will feature a variety of organizations and experts sharing and teaching different aspects of water safety.
Representatives from many local agencies will be on-hand to share their knowledge and answer questions including the Thousand Oaks Police, Sheriff, and Fire Department, the US Coast Guard, Conejo Valley Recreation and Park District, Westlake Yacht Club, Los Robles nurses, the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), and Ventura County Beach Lifeguards.
The Water Safety Event takes place at the Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks from 11am-2pm on Saturday.
