Adelphia airs show on pool safety

The Anaheim Fire Department has teamed up with the Police Department and Adelphia Communications to produce a Spanish-language television program on drowning prevention. The program is in response to three incidents in July in which two Hispanic children drowned. "La Temporada del los Ahogamientos" is hosted by community leader Jose Vargas and draws from the local knowlegde of Maria Sabol, Fire Department spokeswoman, and Sgt. Mike Hildago, police community affairs officer. "Little Mexican kids are not as familiar as other kids around swimming pools," Vargas said. "This is one of the reasons for the causalities. We wanted to do something good, and we just are educating the people, that's all." The program will run on the cable access channel throughout the month. Adelphia newscaster Linda Nofer came up with the idea after searching for a reason for the three incidents last month. A two-year-old Spanish-language video produced by the Children's Hospital of Orange County is the only other production that reaches out to the area's Hispanic community. On the Adelphia program, Sabol uses her time to highlight reasons for drownings. She has worked with the Orange County Drowning Prevention Network in promoting education and pool safety. She also makes presentations at community events such as the Lions Club meetings and Mommy and Me swim lessons. Sabol said children five or younger are targeted for the education efforts because drownings are the leading cause of death in that age group. ''La Temporada del los Ahogamient05" will air this month throughout Adelphia's service area. Channels, days and times vary according to city. Anaheim and Villa Park: 6 and 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Channel 3 Yorba Linda: 6 and 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Channel 35a Brea, La Habra and La Habra Heights: 4 and 9 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Channel 48 "We have been thinking of ways that we can reach out to the community as a whole," Sabol said. "This is a way we can fc- Buena Park, Newport Beach and Placentia: 5 p.m. Fridays, Channel 3 Fullerton: 5 p.m. Fridays, Channel 53 Santa Ana: 4:30 and 9:30 p.m. Mondays, Channel 53 Buena Park: 4:30 and 9:30 p.m. Mondays, Channel 55 Fullerton and Placentia: 4:30 and 9:30 p.m. get out message to everybody." The Fire Department has produced a flyer that features drowning prevention safety tips in both English and Spanish Hildago reminds viewers of Anaheim's laws on swimming pool access. Every pool in Anaheim is required to have a five-foot fence or wall or an adult supervisor once they reach 18 inches deep. The law also requires recirculation and purification systems to be working. Residents who don't comply with the law will have 48 hours to fix the violation or be cited. "I believe this segment was necessary to reach a part of the audience," Hildago said.