JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new Jacksonville City Council committee focused on drowning prevention held its first meeting Wednesday as city leaders began examining ways to prevent future tragedies.
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The committee plans to discuss emergency response data and the location of retention ponds across the city in the coming weeks. Members said Jacksonville does not yet have a complete picture of how many public and private retention ponds exist or which ones pose the greatest risks.
The committee wants to identify ponds near schools, playgrounds and sidewalks before deciding what changes may be needed.
Residents who spoke at the meeting said more should be done to make the ponds safer. Suggestions included installing fences, barriers, sensors and cameras.
“We should have sensors on those ponds or we should have cameras,” one resident said. “When we ride throughout Jacksonville, Florida, we’ve got cameras everywhere. There’s no more privacy. So why not make the people who own these apartments — the city that’s on these retention ponds — put these cameras on? It’s a quick fix.”
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Councilman Reggie Gaffney said the meeting was an important first step but acknowledged that the committee cannot solve the issue in one night.
“I think today’s meeting was impactful,” Gaffney said. “We had a lot of great conversation, a lot of great dialogue, a lot of great turnout. We can’t solve this thing in one night, but I think it went well. I’m very encouraged by the meeting today.”
The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 23. Members plan to review data about retention ponds and continue discussions about drowning prevention.
St. Johns County Water Management representatives attended Tuesday’s meeting and were asked to provide information about the number of public and private retention ponds in Jacksonville.
Committee members also want to connect with organizations that work with children with autism and other special needs. They hope to learn more about how many children in those communities live in Jacksonville and where they are located to help inform prevention efforts.
The committee’s work comes as city leaders take a closer look at drowning deaths in Jacksonville this year and what can be done to prevent another tragedy.
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