Instagram – The Gunner Martin Foundation

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Instagramthegunnermartinfoundation_yi15al2023-01-29T02:57:06+00:00

the_gunner_martin_foundation

Spreading joy like Gunner and specializing in water safety awareness in Central Florida.

As we take this Memorial Day Weekend to honor and

As we take this Memorial Day Weekend to honor and remember those brave heroes who fought for and served our country, if you will be in or near bodies or water, please make sure to practice water safety.

Here are 5 water safety tips for this Memorial Day Weekend...

1. Assign a water watcher while you are in or near the pool. Think family gatherings or BBQ's where you may not intend to be in the water but there is a pool or lake near by.

2. If you have pool fence up, and have brought out (or rented, etc.) light weight furniture, or fold up chairs, THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN AND YOU NEED TO ASSIGN A WATER WATCHER. A child can easily slip outside and move the lightweight furniture over to climb over the pool fence.

3. If you are planning for your kids to be in the water, do not use a puddle jumper, instead plan to be in the water with your child.

4. If you do not have a child and have removed a pool fence, but are having people come over, put that pool fence back up for the safety of the little ones.

5. If you are going to a house where someone has a pool and the pool fence has been taken down, kindly ask beforehand if they would put it back up for the safety of your little one.

For more information, follow @the_gunner_martin_foundation

#memorialday #mdw #honorandremember #thankyou #watersafety #safetyfirst #love #drowningprevention #happy #beautiful #scarymommy #pool #poolsafely #funmom #funmoments #familyfirst #summervibes #summerlove #baby #babiesfirst #swimlessons #poolfence #watersafetyawareness #instalove #instagood #safefamily #vacation #airbnb #orlando #floridavacation

The best advice we can give you? When you are at

The best advice we can give you?

When you are at the pool and your child cannot swim, make sure to be holding them or within arms reach the entire time. Your little one won’t miss out on all the parent-child time and they will also have so much fun in the water. Holding your child will prevent them from gaining a false sense of security and will allow them to know they need to be with a parent in and near the water.

Remember this the next time you plan a family fun day around the water 💙💙

Children as young as 6 months of age can learn to self rescue in the water with survival swim lessons.

For more water safety information follow @the_gunner_martin_foundation.

P.S. say hi to one of our board members - Sarah Harris and her daughter Sloan who are featured in this video 👋🏽

#swim #poolparty #familytime #realmom #realmomlife #watersafety #drowningprevention #scarymommy #pool #poolsafely #funmom #funmoments #familyfirst #summervibes #summerlove #baby #babiesfirst #swimlessons #poolfence #watersafetyawareness #instalove #instagood #safefamily #vacation #airbnb #orlando #fortlauderdale #floridavacation #vacationrentals

According to the Florida Department of Children &

According to the Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF), in 2022, there were 93 reported child drowning fatalities & there were 9 reported child fatalities due to accidental gunshot wounds.

10 times more children died due to drowning than to gunshot wounds. This is the main reason why I believe we need to treat our backyard pools with as much caution as we treat guns - lock them up!

93 is a very large number, however, the actual number of drownings will be much larger than that reported number. The reason being, for a drowning to be included in this data, a staff member at a hospital or a first responder would need to have viewed the drowning as either neglect or abuse and would then have to call in to the abuse hotline to report the drowning as such. (I have a lot to say about this and please let me make myself clear, I am a firm believer that close to 99% of drownings are complete accidents. Families who love their children & who would do anything to protect them are losing their babies due to lack of education/awareness/etc. I also know the collection of data is so important to help prevent drownings.)

We laid Gunner down for a nap, thinking he was safe, he had actually found his way out to the pool.

My hope is that families see the risk of having a pool and would have confidence to take the necessary steps to make sure their child is safe, especially during non-swim time. A pool fence or pool net is a non-negotiable, lock it up!

For more information about water safety please follow @the_gunner_martin_foundation.

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife #instalove #instagood #lifestyle #trueparenting #scarymommy #babyproof #instamood #spreadjoy

Chris Martin was recognized by the Children’s Sa

Chris Martin was recognized by the Children’s Safety Village and was awarded the Seminole County First Responder Award #watersafety #drowningprevention #seminolecounty #firstresponders #firefighter #spreadjoy

We are so grateful that @the_gunner_martin_foundat

We are so grateful that @the_gunner_martin_foundation was able to partner with @seminolecountyfd and @seminolecountyfl to create this water safety PSA. Please watch and share!

Our hope is for families to watch this and relate to us, a normal family who loves our kids. We could be your next door neighbors, your friends, family, but also we are a family of a drowning victim.

We want parents to stop thinking “drownings cannot happen to me” and start thinking “what are the necessary steps I need to take to make sure this will not happen to my child.”

For more water safety information follow @the_gunner_martin_foundation

#watersafety #watersafetyawareness #drowningprevention #scarymommy #realmom #psa #advocate #water #poolparty #beachtime #firstresponder #firefighter #nfl #airbnb #poolfence #instalove #instagood #realmotherhood #realmomlife #childloss #childlosssurvivor #griefjourney

If I could have gone back and changed one thing:

If I could have gone back and changed one thing:

This! The scenario plays over and over again. If Gunner had known how to self rescue, he could still be here today, a lively and bright 9 year old, about to start 4th grade in the fall.

As early as 6 months old, survival swim instructors are able to teach these babies how to float.

This is one piece of information I wished we had in our toolkit back when Gunner was born. I wish I had asked for money for swim lessons instead of receiving clothes and toys. I wish my pediatrician pointed out the dangers of our backyard pool and emphasized how important barriers and swim lessons were. I wish I had understood the difference between the different swim lessons available and we had gone straight to survival swim lessons. I wish I wish I wish.

Do not allow our lack of awareness to become your story. Now is the time to take those necessary steps to ensure your little one has the necessary skills needed to save themselves if they were ever able to gain access to the water.

Get that door alarm up with the high door latches, and order that pool fence and pool net. Ask about special financing options, ask parents and grandparents and other family members to gift early for Christmas, get creative and do what you can but please do something.

Drownings are the leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1-4. Drownings happen to children of good families every single day. Please do not think it cannot happen to you, and make sure to follow the Keys to water safety.

4 Keys to Water Safety
1. Adult Supervision
2. Multiple Barriers
3. Survival Swim Lessons
4. CPR

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #drowningpreventiontrueducation #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife #instalove #instagood #lifestyle #trueparenting #scarymommy #babyproof #instamood #spreadjoy #motivation

Florida Drowning Data: April 2023 With summer app

Florida Drowning Data: April 2023

With summer approaching, and travel plans being made, please be reminded to make water safety a non-negotiable when determining where you will stay. Whether you are staying with a family/friend, renting an airbnb or other home, or staying in hotel/resort, having a water safety discussion ahead of time is important.

If your children do not know how to swim, opting for no pool is the best option!

When staying at a hotel, making sure you are watching your child around the water at all times is necessary, as many hotels/resorts do not always have on duty lifeguards.

Please never forget this can happen to anyone in a moment.

Please be thinking about the 13 families who lost there babes in the state of Florida in the month of April.

🤍 1 child drowned in a horse trough (7.7%)
🤍 2 of the children were autistic (15%)
🤍 2 of the children drowned in a bathtub (15%)
🤍 3 were visiting friends houses (23%)
🤍 2 were vacationing at a resort pool (15%)
🤍 9 drowned in a swimming pool (69%)
🤍 A L L drownings are preventable (100%)

Ways to prevent drownings:
1. Adult supervision! But for those moments we cannot watch our children (think bathroom, getting groceries, taking out trash, walking into another room) we recommend layers of protection
2. Barriers! At bare minimum install a $10 door exit alarm
3. Enroll your children in survival swim lessons
4. Take a parent CPR class (most hospitals/ local fire stations offer these class at little to no cost!)

Message us if you have A N Y question! We want to make sure everyone has the proper information to protect their loved ones at your home and on vacation.

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #drowningpreventiontrueducation #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife

POV: Your oldest son drowned and now the baby of t

POV: Your oldest son drowned and now the baby of the family learned to swim!

In April 2016, our world stopped and we lost a piece of our heart when Gunner drowned, a piece gone forever. For years we have been teaching our kids to swim and for years there was always another who needed to learn. Finally they are all 3 swimmers!

Our hearts are happy and although his swim isn’t perfect and he’s stubborn at times and has lots of room for improvement, we are confident with his ability to self rescue!

For more information on water safety or to read more about our story follow @the_gunner_martin_foundation

#childloss #realmom #scarymommy #watersafety #summer #summervibes #pool #swimlessons #cpr #drowning #drowningprevention #kidsofinstagram #momsofinstagram #centralflorida #beachday #floridasummer #disneysummer #survivalswim #floatlikeabutterflystinglikeabee #selflove #reels #pov #povreels #momlife #realmomsofinstagram #dragonfly #spreadjoy #2yearsold

Why is this fact important? Majority of all child

Why is this fact important?

Majority of all childhood drownings occur during non-swim time. This means the highest risk for drowning for your child is when you are not even intending to be in or around the water.

Children are curious, and can often times be independent and over confident with little to no sense of danger. These traits of young children help contribute to drowning being the number one cause of death in children 1-4.

To help prevent children from gaining access to the water unintentionally, we recommend Barriers. Think of a pool fence or pool net. Then add an additional barrier like a pool alarm or door alarm for added protection.

No child is drown proof. Even with a pool fence or other barriers in place, a child can still gain access to the water without a parent's knowledge. Please make sure to use all 4 keys to water safety as a best practice!

4 Keys to Water Safety:
🤍 Adult Supervision
🤍 Multiple Barriers
🤍 Swim Lessons
🤍 CPR

For more information and to find out our why, be sure to follow us @the_gunner_martin_foundation.

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #realmom #realmomlife #floridabeach #pool #trauma #gunshot #drowning #mommy #parenthood #instagood #love #instamood #model #spreadjoy #poolfence

Drowning is the Leading Cause of accidental death

Drowning is the Leading Cause of accidental death in children age 1-4.

Yes this means more than gunshot wounds, car accidents and any other type of accidental trauma.

We lock up our guns, because we know the dangers of them. If drowning is the leading cause of death in children 1-4, why wouldn't we want to lock up our pools?

A pool fence or pool net is a great way to prevent your child from gaining unwanted access to the pool. Multiple layers of protection, including door alarms, pool alarms, and self-closing self-latching doors are other great things to put in place in addition to a pool fence or pool net.

For more information and to find out our why, be sure to follow us @the_gunner_martin_foundation.

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #realmom #realmomlife #floridabeach #pool #trauma #gunshot #drowning #mommy #parenthood #instagood #love #instamood #model #spreadjoy #motivation

Florida Drowning Data: March 2023 Please be remin

Florida Drowning Data: March 2023

Please be reminded drownings are QUICK and SILENT. A child can easily slip undetected below the water and multiple people and loved ones could be nearby and may never even hear/notice.

Please keep those 5 sweet families who lost their child due to a drowing in the state of Florida in the Month of March in your thoughts.

🤍 5 children were 4 and under (100%)
🤍 3 children were found in backyard pools (60%)
🤍 2 children were found in near by ponds (40%)
🤍 1 family was vacationing from another state (20%)
🤍 1 child was visiting a grandparents house (20%)

Ways to prevent drownings:
1. Adult supervision! But for those moments we cannot watch our children (think bathroom, getting groceries, taking out trash, walking into another room) we recommend layers of protection
2. Barriers! At bare minimum install a $10 door exit alarm
3. Enroll your children in survival swim lessons
4. Take a parent CPR class (most hospitals/ local fire stations offer these class at little to no cost!)

Message us if you have A N Y question! We want to make sure everyone has the proper information to protect their loved ones at your own home or on vacation.

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #drowningpreventiontrueducation #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife #florida #floridabeach #pool #BBQ

Chris Martin speaks on Water Safety after the deva

Chris Martin speaks on Water Safety after the devastating news of the Drowing of 2 year old Arrayah Barrett, daughter to Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL player, Shaquil Barrett.

Thank you @news6wkmg for allowing Chris to speak on water safety today.

#watersafety #drowningprevention #orlando #tampabaybuccaneers #scarymommy #realmoms #poolsafety #watersafetyawareness #watersafetyskills #firstresponder #childloss #greif #beach #saimlessons #cpr #poolfences

May is National Water Safety Month! We’re celeb

May is National Water Safety Month!

We’re celebrating because all 3 of our kids are swimmers (as my youngest completed his refresher lessons just last week) , and your kids can be swimmers too!

When looking for swim lessons, make sure to find survival swim lesson. This means 1:1 child to instructor ratio, 10 minutes per day, 4-5 days a week and they teach your child to find their air source and float on their back.

🩵 Swim lessons are important because it is the only way your child will be able to save themselves in a water emergency.

Other ways to incorporate water safety:
🩵Adult supervision around the water - choosing a water watcher during family gatherings or pool parties

🩵 Barriers - having multiple layers of protection - ex: pool fence + door alarm. Or pool alarm + pool net.. or my favorite: pool alarm + door alarm + pool net + pool fence + self-closing self-latching doors + high door latches! 🎉🙃

🩵CPR - for your worst case scenario, knowing CPR can be your only change to help save your child’s life.

#poolparty #pool #nationalwatersafetymonth #watersafety #drowning #drowningprevention #childloss #greif #scarymommy #realmom #realmomlife #realmoms #water #beach #vacation #florida #orlando #orlandoflorida #travelmom #centralflorida #airbnb #notonemore #charity #spreadjoy #helpothers #2yearsold #swimlessons #poolfence #cpr #waterwatcher

WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HAVING FUN AND SAFE

WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HAVING FUN AND SAFE AROUND THE WATER?

Our 4 Keys to Water Safety:
1. Adult Supervision - make sure an adult is always watching the water when you plan to be at the pool.
2. Barriers - Put necessary barriers in place for times when you are not planning to be in the water. Think Pool fence, pool net, pool alarm, door alarm, self-closing self-latching doors.
3. Swim lesson - The only way your child can save themselves if they gain unwanted access to the water. Look into survival swim lessons.
4. CPR - The only way you can help save your child's life if a drowning does occur. Use rescue breaths!

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #drowningpreventiontrueducation #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife #florida #floridabeach #poolparty #waterwatcher #momsofinstagram #sahm #scarymommy

POOL TOYS CAN DO WHAT? One way to keep your kids

POOL TOYS CAN DO WHAT?

One way to keep your kids from making their way back to the pool when no one is around is by:

REMOVING ALL POOL TOYS!

This can also include any floatation devices, rafts, pool noodles, balls, etc. You name it, nothing should be left in the pool when you are done with play time.

Why is this important?

Children are curious and driven and if they want something they are known to find a way. They want to put on mom's makeup, they make it happen. They want some sweets, they pull over a chair, step on the counter and make it happen (my kids are guilty of this). If they want their pool toy, the problem is they will find a way to get back in the water when no one is around, during non-swim time.

Next time you get in the pool, make sure all pool toys, rafts, and any other objects are placed back where they belong and secured so children are not tempted to get in the water to retrieve it.

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #drowningpreventiontrueducation #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife #florida #floridabeach #pool

We loved watching Chris take the wheel yesterday,

We loved watching Chris take the wheel yesterday, sharing his story of professional football to firefighter and the journey of pushing through the pain of many injuries and the loss of Gunner.

#Repost @seminolecountyfd with @use.repost
・・・
Today is April 6, 2023. It marks 7 years since SCFD Firefighter & UCF grad and football player Chris Martin and his wife Christina lost their 2-year-old son Gunner in a pool drowning. Fire Chief Matt Kinley introduced Chris, who serves at Station 11 in Altamonte. Chris shared their story and drowning prevention measures today to the Altamonte Springs Rotary. Much love from your #FireFamily www.thegunnermartinfoundation.com
#drowningprevention #drowningpreventing #drowningpreventioneducation #barriers #swimlessons

7 years with out you. Today marks 7 years from t

7 years with out you.

Today marks 7 years from the last hug and kiss. Today marks 7 years from the last smile and laugh. Today is 7 years from the last time we held you and the last time we saw you. 7 years, today.

Each and every day, we remember you. Each and every day we miss you.

After we came home from the hospital with an empty car seat and a broken heart, we never could have known a life without you. My forever 2 year old little boy. We love you we love you we love you.

#watersafety #heaven #heavenday #angel #realmom #realmomlife #drowningprevention #7yearsinheaven #7yearswithoutyou #pool #beach #florida #summer #summervibes #childloss #childlossawareness #childlossmother #poolsafely

As Parents, our goal is to keep our kids safe: We

As Parents, our goal is to keep our kids safe:

We hold their hand on the playground, we teach them to look both ways when we cross the street. We cut the grapes in quarters longways. We make sure they wear their helmet when they ride their bikes and we limit screen-time...

When it comes to swim time, why are we putting floaties on our kids, letting them play in the pool, and walking away. Why is our focus how cute our matching baiting suits look as opposed to introducing proper water safety skills. Why at large gatherings, are kids slipping away unnoticed and finding their way to the pool. We lose more children every year to drownings than gunshots. Please be the change for your kids. Knowing that formal swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning, is HUGE.

Now is the time to enroll in swim lessons!

________
Just a mom, wishing I had someone in 2015/2016 express the importance of swim lessons for Gunner. Gunner drowned during non-swim time. We laid him down for a nap and he found his way to the pool.
________

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #drowningpreventiontrueducation #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife #florida #floridabeach #pool

Florida Drowning Data: February 2023 The worst da

Florida Drowning Data: February 2023

The worst day of this families life was on an out-of-state family visit to see the grandparents. Please, the next time you set travel plans, please make sure to have that possibly awkward but life saving conversation beforehand.

Please be thinking of the 5 families who lost their babes in the state of Florida in February.

🤍2 of the children were autistic (40%)
🤍 4 of the children were visiting from out of the area (80%)
🤍 A L L drownings are preventable (100%)

Ways to prevent drownings:
1. Adult supervision! But for those moments we cannot watch our children (think bathroom, getting groceries, taking out trash, walking into another room) we recommend layers of protection
2. Barriers! At bare minimum install a $10 door exit alarm
3. Enroll your children in survival swim lessons
4. Take a parent CPR class (most hospitals/ local fire stations offer these class at little to no cost!)

Message us if you have A N Y question! We want to make sure everyone has the proper information to protect their loved ones at your own home or on vacation.

#vacation #airbnb #florida #advocate #childloss #drowningprevention #drowningpreventionawareness #drowningpreventiontrueducation #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #momsofinstagram #childproofing #swimlessons #swim #cpr #dooralarm #florida #educateyourself #protect #realmom #realmomlife #florida #floridabeach #pool

Our TOP 5 water safety tips when traveling during

Our TOP 5 water safety tips when traveling during spring break.

You deserve this family vacation, it has been earned & meticulously planned & everyone in the family is looking forward to it.

We want to help you have a great time, no, the best time on this years spring break vacation!

Fun & safety can go hand in hand & we’re all about it! Please be sure to utilize these 5 tips for keeping your little ones water safe when traveling for spring break (or any vacation).

1. Plan ahead - know the place you are staying & find out if there is a pool or other body of water nearby. Check your phone map, this can tell you a lot.

2. Bring your water safety supplies - Exit door alarms & child door handle safety covers are affordable and transportable items to bring with you & can easily fit in your luggage, diaper bag, or purse!

3. Have a water safety discussion- sit down with the whole family & have that discussion about water safety. This should consist of rules for the family to follow during the span of the vacation. Example: for the backyard pool, all house doors are to remained locked, exit door alarms will remain on & the pool fence must be up at all times, even while the pool is in use.

4. Do not use any type of floatation devices for your kids - these give your child a false sense of security, where your child thinks they are able to swim. The problem is, they are not associating the flotation device as the thing keeping them above the water. Once that flotation device comes off during non-swim time, this child can be at a higher risk for drowning, & may be prone to finding their way back in the pool without that flotation device, & not being able to keep themselves above water on their own.

5. Enjoy the pool on your vacation! Take advantage of the pool for family fun time, relax time, fitness time, etc! But please make sure to remove everything, including toys once you’re done.

In 2016, Gunner drowned in the backyard pool when we thought he was taking a nap.

#watersafety #childloss #realmom #scarymommy #drowningprevention #springbreak

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