Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Community topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mother of teen who died saving stranger asks city to join life-ring initiative; city staff supportive
Summary
Sarah Perry, mother of Aiden Perry, who died attempting to save a drowning driver, presented a program donating life rings and signage for water bodies; she offered the city an initial donation of 10 life rings and volunteered community education and installation support.
Sarah Perry told the commission about the Hero Life Ring initiative she launched after her son, Aiden Perry, died trying to save a driver who had entered a lake. Perry said her nonprofit has donated more than 500 life rings to municipalities, schools and public facilities and that she would donate 10 life rings to Cooper City to place near public bodies of water.
Program details and offer - The life rings are coast-guard-regulated rescue rings with attached floating rope (50-foot standard) and are sold with long-term warranties. - Perry said her donor-funded program covers the first 10 rings for any city that commits to joining the initiative; she provides signage and community education materials and coordinates demonstrations with fire rescue or lifeguard agencies. - The group recommends spacing rings roughly every 250 feet on open water and using posts or other mounting systems that are durable and visible.
Commission response and funding Commissioners and staff praised the initiative and asked staff to coordinate locations, mounting hardware and community demonstrations. Commissioner Katzmann announced a $1,000 discretionary contribution from his fund to support the program in Cooper City; staff said they will work with Perry and internal departments (parks/public works and fire rescue) to place and maintain the donated rings.
Why it matters Commissioners said the initiative is a low-cost, high-impact public-safety measure to provide bystanders with a tool that can be used to help someone in the water without requiring a rescuer to enter the water.
Next steps City staff will identify priority locations (lakes, canals, docks), determine mounting and maintenance responsibilities, and coordinate a community dedication and education event with Ms. Perry and public-safety staff.
