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Committee advances no‑cost swim‑lesson partnership aimed at preventing child drownings
Summary
The committee voted to advance a proposed agreement with Miami‑Dade’s zero‑drowning swim program — a consecutive 10‑day, 30‑minute daily lesson plan meeting American Red Cross standards — to town attorneys for contract review.
The Miami Lakes Public Safety Committee voted to move forward with a proposed partnership that would offer no‑cost American Red Cross–aligned swim lessons to young children through Miami‑Dade’s zero‑drowning program. Committee members emphasized that the program is a two‑week (10 instructional days, 30 minutes per session) cohort offering with a 1:6 staffing ratio and that town attorneys will review contract language before execution.
John Torres, whose motion to advance the project carried, framed the effort as a child‑safety priority driven by recent local incidents. Chair Carlos said town staff and attorneys will vet the agreement and that participation does not necessarily require town‑provided transportation: "It's a parent who, if someone signs up for this, they're responsible for taking their child to the pool," he said, while adding the town or parks staff will provide an official representative at sessions.
Committee discussion focused on liability protections, age limits, and accommodations for children with special needs. Members asked staff to coordinate with Parks & Recreation and the town attorney’s office to identify necessary contract stipulations; the committee voted unanimously to advance the project to staff and attorneys for review.
