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🛟 Freeport City Council approved the installation of water rescue devices called Public Rescue Tubes (PRTs) to enhance safety near water.
💰 No city funding is required for the devices, which will be provided through a Rotary Club partnership and local business support.
📊 The PRTs have shown a 60% reduction in drowning deaths and have been involved in over 200 known water rescues with no fatalities reported during their
When the Freeport City Council met this week, Planning Director Matilda Hughes-Neel welcomed representatives from the Rotary Club to present a safety device that has become very popular due to its impact around water recreation areas where drownings may occur.
The City Council voted unanimously to implement the Public Rescue Tubes (PRT). As a result, the Freeport Planning Department and Parks Department will work together to determine the best locations for installation of the life-saving devices.
The Public Rescue Tube (PRT) is a flotation device that is long (about 6 feet long) and can support up to three adults in water. The device is easily spotted because it is housed on a 12-foot post placed four feet into the ground. The bright yellow flotation aid is tall and narrow, and those passing by readily recognize and understand its usefulness.
Area Governor for Rotary International, Dion Moniz, demonstrated the life-saving device and said, “Over 600+ of these [PRTs] have been deployed between Hawaii and throughout the country.” He added that there were over 200 known rescues and zero reported deaths when the device was used during a water crisis.
Michelle Jannazo, representing the Rotary Club of Freeport, also shared additional safety statistics that honed in on this life-saving gift’s features and benefits to the community. She commented that the PRT is not a new device on the market it has been tried and tested. “Backed by a 25-year study, the PRT has reduced drowning deaths by 60 percent where they [the PRT] have been installed.” No fatalities have been recorded in emergency events where the devices have been used.
In an interview following the City Council meeting, Mr. Moniz stated that the initial cost for the installation of just one PRT is $250. However, the summer heat’s wear, tear, and impact on the PRTs may require maintenance and refurbishment, sometimes annually. The anticipated cost for installing and maintaining each PRT over 5 years is $500 total. However, the benefit for Freeport is that the cost to the city is nothing. Rotary Clubs in the Panhandle are working together with local businesses to provide funding for each of the PRTs that will be installed in Freeport.
