Conner Cares Promotes Crofton Swimmer Safety

“We lost him five years ago on Jun. 22, 2006,” said Debbie Neagle-Freed about her son Connor.

Connor, like most children, enjoyed cooling down at the local swimming pool, so he went to the Crofton Country Club with friends of the family.

However, what was supposed to be a typical summer day of swimming, tragedy struck. Connor drowned in 5 feet of water below an empty lifeguard chair.

 “Of course after that happened we were just a mess and grieving,” said Neagle-Freed.

The loss of Connor is an experience she will never get over, but Neagle-Freed didn’t want her son’s memory to go away.  She started the Connor Cares Foundation.

“I didn’t know the statistics of drowning, so I started researching drowning statistics and I felt that I needed to do something to bring awareness to how many kids drowned. That’s where Connor Cares Foundation came about. ”

Connor Cares Foundation mission is to further the education and training of lifesaving personnel at all public and private pools nationwide and to set minimum standards of safety to reduce the annual number of drownings.

Also, the organization promotes a pool safety ratings system (one to five stars) to identify deficiencies and provide parents and guardians a guide to safe pools.

The foundation has donated defibrillators to the Waugh Chapel Swim Club in Gambrills, the Walden Country Club in Crofton and the Belair Bath and Tennis Club in Bowie.

“Lifeguards need to have the proper training. In Connor’s case, unfortunately, there was a defibrillator there and they were told they were not allowed to use it because they were not trained,” Neagle-Freed said.  “I just strongly believe in these devices and I really think people need to know how really easy they are to use because they really do save lives.”

Neagle-Freed said she hopes to have one defibrillator at every local pool in Anne Arundel County and eventually nationwide.

Connor Cares Foundation is currently working with legislators in the area to change Maryland pool safety laws.

The Connor Bill will mandate that two lifeguards be up at all times in a public pool 2,500 square- feet or larger.

“Unfortunately this all started from a tragedy but I wanted to take that tragedy and turn it into something good to save other families from going through something like this that is preventable.”

Here are some water safety tips from The Anne Arundel County Department of Health:

At Home:

1. Never leave a child alone in or around water, including bathtubs, sinks and toilets.
2. Do not rely on bath support rings or seats to keep a child safe in the tub.
3. Use toilet locks so children cannot open the lid.
4. Empty all buckets immediately after use and store out of a child's reach. Children age 4 and under can drown in just one inch of water.

In and Around Pools:

1. Empty and turn over wading pools immediately after use.
2. Enclose your pool or spa with four-sided isolation fencing at least 5 feet high with self-closing and self-latching gates. Pool fences should completely separate the house and play area from the pool.
3. Learn CPR and keep rescue equipment, a telephone and emergency numbers beside the pool.
4. Teach children to swim, but never rely solely on swimming lessons to protect them from drowning.
5. Teach children never to run, push or jump on others around water.

For more information about Connor Cares and its programs, visit www.connorcares.org.