Arlington Hts. recognized by Safe Communities America

When a mannequin representing a small child slips into an Arlington Heights swimming pool, onlookers sometimes get unnerved. But the exercise to see how long it takes lifeguards to notice and retrieve the doll is all part of keeping village swimmers safe.

The seriousness with which the Arlington Heights Park District staff treats pool safety is one of the factors that impressed evaluators recently, and helped the village join the International Safe Community network.

Arlington Heights becomes only the third community in Illinois and the 14th nationwide to be admitted to the network. The award means Arlington Heights is working particularly hard to keep its residents safe.

Donna Stein-Harris, director of Safe Communities America for the National Safety Council, based in Itasca, said the evaluators were impressed with lifeguard training at the park district pools.

“It was unlike anything I have ever seen before,” she said. “And they offer opportunities (for water safety education) at every age group.”

While no pool is drown proof, the training program the park district subscribes to helps keep the 300-plus lifeguards vigilant, said Steve Neill, aquatics program supervisor.

Pat Klawitter, safety/training specialist for the park district, said the public pools five outdoor and one indoor help prevent swimming accidents because of their mere existence.

“The number of drowning deaths is extremely high in warmer climates where they have backyard pools,” she said. “Our outdoor public pools mean there isn't as much need for backyard pools.”

Unlike private pools, park pools are staffed by lifeguards. Swimming programs that thousands of residents participate in give people lifetime water safety skills, Neill added.

In applying to join the Safe Community Network, Arlington Heights had to identify gaps in the village's safety network and fill them, said Donna Stein-Harris.

“Arlington Heights demonstrated that as a community they work together,” Harris said.

“The participation made Arlington Heights stand out. Schools, hospitals, the chamber of commerce, the park district, police, fire, all worked together for over a year.”

Mayor Arlene Mulder finds the process exciting.

“Public safety is the root of any community,” she said. “You want it to be a safe community. You have to be safe in your schools, in your neighborhoods, in a local park.”

The program, started by the World Health Organization, has been in the U.S. since 2007, said Stein-Harris. Around the world 225 communities are involved.

The designation means Arlington Heights is working on making residents safe a continuing process, said Lt. Victor Tamosaitis, the public education officer for the Arlington Heights Fire Department and head of the task force that put the application together.

Accidents at home and in places of recreation are up around the country, while work places and roads have become safer, Tamosaitis said.

“Typically accidents in the home involve elderly people, and our demographics are a little bit older and we have several elderly care facilities,” he said.

Getting statistics on accidents at a community level is difficult, as is decreasing their numbers, but groups like the Arlington Heights Senior Center and Northwest Community Hospital already have programs to help educate elderly residents and their families, he said.

“The designation shows that we have an active, vibrant safety program and a commitment to safety, but it's just the beginning,” said Tamosaitis. “As the coalition works together on different areas we may be able to influence things.”