Free Pool Alarms for Charlotte County Families

Charlotte County Fire & EMS is accepting applications through June 23 for five free pool alarms for families with young children.

The department will distribute Poolguard PGRM-2 alarms, which mount at the pool edge and sound an in-home receiver when someone enters the water. The alarms are ASTM-certified and detect unintended water entries.

Fire Chief Matthew McElroy said pool alarms provide backup protection for supervising adults. "Drowning can happen quickly and quietly, often when adults are nearby but distracted," he said.

The department will prioritize applications based on the presence of young children, swimming ability, existing pool safety measures, and other risk factors.

Families can apply at https://tinyurl.com/CCFEMSPoolAlarmGiveaway. Selected households will be notified after the June 23 deadline.

Fire & EMS recommends combining pool alarms with active supervision, swim lessons, fences with self-closing gates, and CPR training.

For questions, contact Ashley Turner at 941-833-5610 or [email protected].