Saturday morning the Rossmoor CSD played host to the passion project of RHA Director Lindsey Ludwig and her husband Darren Grosch, Rossmoor's 2nd Annual Water Safety event at Rush Auditorium. 

With an audience of just over 50 community residents, Darren, Watersafe Swim School, Seal Beach Marine Safety, the Orange County Fire Authority, and Girl Scout Troop 3089 took the time to present in different ways the most important things you can do to prevent the tragedy of drowning:

1. Know how to swim
2. Have barriers around your pool (locking doors, fence, alarms, etc.)
3. Learn CPR 
4. Do Something - take action, even if you don't know what to do

After Darren shared their family story of near tragedy, Matt Corb from the SB Marine Safety Department shared about beach safety focusing on:

• Know how to swim
• Always swim near an open lifeguard tower.
• Talk with the lifeguards about current conditions before your swim.
• Rip currents, what they look like and what to do if you're in one
• Use the Stingray Shuffle to avoid getting a painful sting

Next up was Watersafe Swim School Instructor Kalynne who shared the importance of learning how to swim at an early age as the best way to be water safe.

Following WaterSafe's quick presentation, OCFA Chief Colby sadly shared about a recent 3 year old drowning that could have been prevented and some safety tips for your backyard pool:

• Know how to swim (and teach your kids as early as possible)
• Always have a sober adult as lifeguard - the only thing they are doing. Have shifts if needed, but 100% focus on the pool when "on duty"
• Have barriers (fences) and alarms for your pool. Kids are quick & it takes no time for them to silently go under and drown. 
• Drain safety - be careful with long hair around drains and pool intake locations. Hair can get pulled into the intake and hold you under.
• Learn CPR - It's easy to learn and can save a life and prevent a tragedy. 

The Girls Scouts then took turns in reviewing the main points that had been covered: 

• Learn To Swim
• Never Swim Alone
• Have Barriers
• Learn CPR

Following the raffle, Marc Woodward shared how important starting CPR is in those first few minutes before help arrives and invited everyone to join him in learning Hands Only CPR.

After the presentations, a number of groups provided fun and educational opportunities including:

• Marc Woodward with a hands only CPR demonstration with practice devices for the audience to try their skills.
• OCFA's Elizabeth Denney shared water safety tips, and cool give aways including color changing  pencils!
• Matt Corb form Seal Beach Marine Safety shared the features and supplies from the SB Lifeguard truck along with some beach safety tips.
• ABC Pool Supplies who sprang for the yummy donuts and refreshments. Thank you!
• Falck Ambulance Services had a popular show 'n tell with one of their ambulance units.
• OCFA Engine 2 and crew from Los Alamitos Station 2 giving engine tours.
• Foamy Fun put on the always popular "foam bath" for the kids
• The Youth Center Team provided crafts, drawing, and balloon art throughout the event.

The big surprise of the day was the "foamy bath" suds on the grass that the kids loved playing in. 

It was a terrific day. A HUGE Thank You to Lindsey and Darren who pulled everything together for the event. 

Thanks to everyone who helped make this a super successful event for our community. For additional information on water safety, please contact the OCFA (714-573-6000) and visit their website here

Registration for the 5th Annual Rossmoor Graduation Celebration Parade is now open. 

The Parade will happen Saturday, June 1st and high school graduates from the greater Rossmoor area are welcome to register and attend the event. All vehicles wishing to participate must register on the registration page. There will be no exceptions.

Registration is free and we do accept contributions from both participants and area residents to help offset the parade permitting costs. The registration deadline is noon on Thursday, MAy 30th.  Register here today.

Saturday 5/11 the RHA held its first Adopt-A-Channel Cleanup event and focused on the Rossmoor Stormwater Channel. For our inaugural event we planned for a small group from the Board of Directors to participate. This group allowed us to get a good feel for the channel, document the conditions, what to expect in the way of cleanup and how to manage future channel cleanup events.  

Overall, the day was a success as we collected 87 pounds of mostly broken glass, wire, plastics, cables, zip ties and other trash items. And we got to see a mother duck with her three ducklings in tow happily patrolling a segment of the channel along with some raccoon tracks, the typical crows and other birds.

Read more about the cleanup and the channels here