SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Paramedics in Seminole County have sounded the alarm and are emphasizing pool safety after a number of young children drowned in Central Florida recently. 

The parents of one young drowning victim say they are healing through helping prevent more untimely deaths.

David and Jen Peacocks’ backyard pool is like a heavily guarded fortress now, but that wasn’t always the case.

The couple has modified their fencing and porch, added signage and even cameras and alarms to the pool where their young son drowned.

“He was always laughing,” David said as he flipped through the family memory book. “Everybody loved him, and everybody connected with him."

On his “angel-versary,” as they like to call it, the couple is spreading awareness for swim and water safety. Wesley died two years ago and would have bee 4 years old this year.

“When you lose a child in a tragic way, especially at that age, it’s hard not to think about them constantly,” Jen said.

Recalling the moments before Wesley died, as she’s often done in the last two years, Jen said Wesley was playing on the porch as she was cooking dinner one evening. She said he managed to get through a loose porch panel, plus a gap in the fence surrounding their pool, to make it into the water.

Unfortunately, Seminole County Fire Lt. Aaron Imeson said this type of tragedy isn’t uncommon. During his 18-year career as a paramedic, he said he's responded to more than a dozen drowning calls.

In the last few weeks, there have been at least three drownings in Seminole County — all young children in swimming pools.

“We’ve recently seen an uptick in drownings, and I expect we’ll continue to see that,” Imeson said.

Although he’s been called on to try to save many children in these situations, Imeson admits it never becomes routine or easy. It’s especially hard since he has two kids of his own.

“I go home and hug them … or I call them and Facetime them now," he said. "So, it definitely puts a little bit of emphasis at home when you have one of these calls."

Part of the healing process for the Peacocks includes sharing the "5 to Survive" safety and prevention tips.

5 to Survive

• Infant Swim Lessons (ISR) Survival Swim for babies as young as 6 months
• Install a pool fence with a locked, self-closing gate
• Have alarms and locks on doors (including pet doors)
• Ensure there’s effective adult supervision, such as a designated "water watcher" 
• Know CPR

The Peacocks spend time connecting and healing with other parents like them and started an online forum, "Srvivrs," for small groups meet and discuss their shared experiences.

“(Wesley has) just launched us into this ability to have so much empathy that you never thought you could have for another person," Jen said. "But I’ve met so many other moms just like me."

“We’ve got to work together,” she added.