St. Petersburg Fire Rescue partner with JWB for infant safe sleep press conference

St. Petersburg, FL – Infant sleep-related suffocation is the number one cause of preventable death for children under 18. Statistics show on average every month a healthy baby dies from sleeping unsafely in Pinellas County, and the majority of these deaths happen in St. Petersburg.  First responders have encountered these tragedies far too often and are working to stop these preventable deaths from occurring. 

October is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month. Learn how St. Petersburg first responders have partnered with the Juvenile Welfare Board and others to help save lives of infants in our community, including an announcement on how the public can get involved. Event includes a variety of subject matter experts and visuals, including infant safe sleep demonstration, first responder testimonial, and campaign materials.  Please see details below: 

Press Conference Date/Time and Location: 

Monday, September 23, 2019 at 10:30 AM

St. Petersburg Fire Recue Headquarters

400 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South, St. Petersburg, FL. 33701-4472

Media Point of Contact:

Lt. Steven Lawrence, CFEI, IAAI-FIT

Deputy Fire Marshal/PIO

C: 727-831-1370 / steven.lawrence@stpete.org

Press Conference Attendees: 

Chief James Large, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue

Chief Anthony Holloway, St. Petersburg Police Department

Rescue Chief Ian Womack, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue

Firefighter/Paramedic David O’Neil, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue

Beth Houghton, Juvenile Welfare Board CEO

Michelle Schaefer, Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas

Bill Pellan, District 6 Medical Examiner’s Office

Jane DeMauro, Bayfront Baby Place