On July 13th 2011, our brother, Jonathan J. Proce and his friend Bohdan Vitenko suffered from shallow-water blackout while performing training exercises in anticipation of future military service in the Air Force and Marines, respectively. Shallow-water blackout is a condition that causes swimmers to lose consciousness underwater during competitive and repetitive breath holding. As a result of the shallow-water blackout, both Jonathan and Bodhan both died at the young age of 21. This accident happened in a NYC public pool guarded by NYC trained lifeguards. The purpose of this petition is to ensure the appropriated safeguards are in place which will PREVENT this type of accident from occurring again in the future at a NYC public pool.

Specifically, we believe the City of New York and its Department of Parks and Recreation should require lifeguards to ban these types of training exercises at their pools and to warn patrons of their inherent danger. In addition, similar to the "No Diving" and "No Running" signs typically required to be displayed at city pools, we believe NYC and its Department of Parks and Recreation should post signs warning patrons "No Long Breath Holding".  In addition, we believe NYC lifeguard training should make shallow-water blackout an area of focus --- in fact, Jonathan WAS a NYC LIFEGUARD swimming in a pool guarded by NYC lifeguards and yet no one knew the activity was dangerous and many had never even heard of shallow-water blackout before.   

Leading aquatic safety research has shown that shallow-water blackout is the leading cause of drowning among accomplished swimmers. As such, we believe that given this knowledge, NYC has a duty to warn its patrons of the dangers of such activities in its pools and furthermore require its lifeguards to prevent this type of dangerous activity from occurring. We believe that these simple, inexpensive and "common sense" actions can SAVE LIVES and prevent future SENSELESS DEATHS of young people in NYC pools.

Please also visit http://shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org/ for additional educational information regarding SWB.  This site was developed by Rhonda Milner who lost her son Whitner to SWB on April 17th, 2011.

For more information on the dangers of shallow-water blackout please read:http://www.aquaticsafetygroup.com/PDF/DyingforAirAquaticsInternationalFebruary2005.PDF

To learn more about our brother Jonathan please visit the Jonathan J. Proce Foundation's website at: www.JonathanJProceFoundation.org

Thank you!