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The August Initiative
August's Story
August is a special needs child with severe autism, along with a rare neurological genetic condition and hypotonia, which affects his muscles and lung strength, causing him to fatigue quickly.
He is in a stage of constant elopement and is deeply drawn to water. If a pool is nearby, he will feel the need to jump in - without any sense of danger.
A backyard pool becomes both enchanting and a grave hazard.
"The fence was the first thing we installed"
-Tim Smith, August's Grandfather
Toddlers and kids are SO curious and SO fast
Kids are incredibly quick and curious, often making their way to a pool before you even notice they're gone.
Unfortunately, beauty and tradition sometimes win over safety: Pools exist without secure barriers, have retractable covers, and grandfathered exemptions.
To a child like August, those choices are invisible risks.
Proper fencing, self-latching gates, and redundant layers of protection are not inconveniences -
They are the difference between a sunny afternoon and a lifelong tragedy.
Proper Fencing Can Reduce Child Drowning by 50%
SWIM ON's August Initiative pushes for education, for better codes, and for empathy - that sees every child - especially those with special needs. When we protect the most vulnerable, we protect us all.
Scan Here to Help Further Support The August Barrier Initiative
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