On October 27th of last year, a one-year-old boy tragically drowned in a residential pool in Avondale. The boy was found in the pool and a family member immediately began performing CPR. Firefighters took the boy to a local hospital where he died. The child was the 19th fatal drowning of a child in Phoenix last year. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average 4,000 people drown each year in the United States. Among children 5-9, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death while it is the first among children ages 1-4. This is why Fulton Homes established the 2 Seconds is Too Long Campaign, to prevent these horrible drowning incidents.

“We created 2 Seconds is Too Long eighteen years ago to raise awareness for families to watch their children and loved ones around water,” said Doug Fulton, CEO of Fulton Homes. “Being watchful with children around water, teaching them to swim, having a pool fence and having an adult trained to perform CPR are critical for protection against drowning and near-drowning accidents. The dangers are real, and we want to continue to do everything we can to prevent another family tragedy. One is one too many.”

Eighteen years ago, Fulton Homes created its annual “2 Seconds is Too Long” campaign to remind adults that emergencies around water can occur in a split second. This year, Fulton Homes is partnered with 92.3 KTAR FM and Arizona Sports 98.7 to conduct monthly water safety events at shopping malls around the Valley, through September.

The program has become one of the homebuilder’s most enduring programs aimed at not only increasing awareness of the importance of water safety but to also inspire people to take action. The kickoff for this year’s program is April 17th, at 2 pm, at the  Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA, 350 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Gambo and Burns from Arizona Sports 98.7 will be broadcasting live on location and Valley residents can enter to win free YMCA swim lessons. Residents can also go to www.Fulton2seconds.com and register to win swim lessons.

For more information on Fulton Homes’ “2 Seconds is Too Long,” visit www.Fulton2seconds.com. You also can tune into Arizona Sports 98.7 FM and KTAR FM 92.3 KTAR FM, or visit www.ktar.com or www.arizonasports.com and type in the keyword “2 seconds.” Families are also encouraged to visit www.fultonhomes.com and click on the Fulton Foundation section, where a link for water-safety programs is provided.