Waterbodies near Schools
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Maryland Waterbodies Near Schools
The Maryland Waterbodies Near Schools program offers this interactive mapping application developed through a collaborative effort between the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) and the Risk Analyst team from the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM). With drowning ranking as the second leading cause of accidental injury death for children aged 5 to 14, pinpointing local water hazards ahead of time is vital for school safety and emergency planning.
To address this vulnerability, the tool integrates precise school campus locations with advanced geospatial waterbody data, mapping out and ranking nearby risks such as rivers, streams, lakes, and retention ponds. This centralized platform equips school administrators, emergency planners, and first responders with the real-time insights needed to proactively manage aquatic risks. By utilizing this tool, stakeholders can enhance their emergency operations plans, conduct fast, targeted searches of surrounding water features, and significantly improve situational awareness during incidents involving missing or at-risk individuals.
Water Safety by the Numbers
-
71%
of accidental drowning fatalities among children occur in elopement cases.
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1/3rd
of all elopement incidents occur from a school setting.
Contact:
Questions regarding the Mapping Tool please contact: Sarah Mikkelsen (MDEM)
Questions regarding the program, please contact: Jeyan Jebaraj (MCSS)