April Pools Day sounds like a hilariously fun poolside happening where carefree kids play wacky water games and splash about like fish.
Last week at Miramar Regional Park's aquatic center, the day turned deadly serious.
''Miramar is No. 1 in the state for actual or near-drowning for children under age 5,'' said Anna Airy, nurse manager for Memorial Hospital Miramar's pediatric emergency department.
So for an hour at the center that features a super-sized water playground, picnic tables and an Olympic-size pool, kids and parents learned about water safety and drowning prevention.
''I'd much rather meet parents and kids here than in the ER when the children are either dead from drowning or injured forever from nearly drowning,'' Airy said.
About 200 took a break from the playground to sit in bleachers near the competition pool, where Miramar Fire Rescue's dive team and a handful of paramedics prepared for a dramatic rescue display.
But first Battalion Chief Bill Huff prepared the audience.
''When people think of drowning, they think of oceans, lakes and someone else's pool, but what about your own pool?'' Huff said.
In the past two years, 10 people died in Miramar from drowning -- six were children.
Huff told parents about installing safety gates around home pools and adding pool alarms that sound when a child or adult falls into the water or enters without permission.
And he warned parents that leaving children unattended near buckets, coolers and toilets can lead to drowning death.
Huff told children never to swim alone or with friends without an adult present.
Later, he got help from audience volunteer Vivian Valls, 9, to teach how to dial 911 for a quick emergency response.
''Talk clearly, slowly and give the correct information to the best of your ability. Then, be prepared to help out,'' Huff said.
Miramar dive team members then tossed a mannequin into the pool to show how to rescue a drowning person.
Paramedics performed CPR.
Phibe Wallace of Miramar brought eight children to the event where kids received free sunglasses, Swim With A Buddy stickers, a beach ball and water safety coloring books from Memorial Hospital and Swim Central, which provides free swimming lessons at Broward schools and recreation centers.
''Children have to know there is more to having fun in the water than just jumping in. They have to learn water safety. They have to learn to swim,'' Wallace said.
