Looking Out for Long Island Children

Major Sponsors of the Winthrop-University Hospital Pediatric Swim-A-Thon

"Drowning Prevention Through Education"

Bobby Hazen founder of Long Island Drowning Prevention Task Force (LIDPTF)

Did you know that drowning is a leading cause of death for Long Island Children ages one to four? Bobby Hazen, manager of Saf-T-Swim and founder of LIDPTF has dedicated his career to helping families learn how to avoid this tragedy by spreading the word about water safety and educating both the care giver as well as the child. Bobby has taught children as young as two months old how to save themselves from drowning at the Saf-T-Swim facilities located all around the island in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Founded in 2010 by Jimmy Hazen, LIDPTF, consists of medical professionals from hospitals including Winthrop-University Hospital's Childrens Medical Center and Stony Brook Children's Hospital as well as the Nassau County Department of Health, along with other industries and businesses like the NYS Lifeguards and Bobby's Uncle Jimmy Hazen the owner of Saf-T-Swim.

Bobby Hazen’s organization put together a booklet and website of vital safety tips and information for families, highlighting the dangers and risks associated with pools and open bodies of water. The booklet is distributed throughout Long Island at Saf-T-Swim locations, public pools, doctor’s offices, libraries, parks and other venues that have children’s events.

To bring the concepts in the booklet to life, the LIPTF holds school assemblies for elementary school children and storybook readings at daycare centers and nursery schools to teach children about its Safer 3 program, which focuses on safer kids, safer water and safer response.

We are grateful for Saf-T-Swim's generosity and that they are a part of our annual Swim-A-Thon. Their support helps seriously ill children in our community by providing funding for the Child Life Program, which is vital for the well-being of these young patients, teaching them and their families to cope during stressful surgeries, treatments, and hospitalizations.

Join Saf-T-Swim and LIDPTF and support the Winthrop-University Hospital's Childrens Medical Center. Register to swim or donate at www.winthrop.org/events and like us on Facebook for updates.

See you at the pool!