With pool season and 90 degree weather upon us in the Loveland Area we are resharing this story we first published in June of 2021. This story is still relevant and perhaps if your children watch it they to will become as Billy says, “Who’s watching the kids?” kind of kid – like six-year-old Holden Patrick Smith was.
Loveland, Ohio – Billy Goldfeder of the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department said on June 3, 2021, “As the water fun season is upon us, we are taking this opportunity to recognize Holden for his actions, but to also aggressively take advantage of this incident to remind our Loveland-Symmes community, along with the greater Cincinnati area of the critical importance of water safety awareness and kids”.
Goldfeder delivered this message immediately after Six-year-old Holden Patrick Smith was honored and became the youngest Loveland-Symmes firefighter for saving the life of his cousin. Read that story HERE.
On Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 7 PM, the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department along with the Symmes Township Trustees recognized six-year-old Township resident Holden Patrick Smith. Holden just graduated from kindergarten at the Loveland Primary School a few days before.
Holden’s quick actions and awareness in June of 2020 when he was five-years-old led to saving the life of his much younger cousin Magnolia Jane Smith-Camp.
- The Loveland-Symmes Fire Department honored Holden with the “Citizen’s Life Saving Award”.
- Holden was also made an honorary Loveland-Symmes firefighter.
- The ceremony was delayed due to the pandemic, but it was held on June 3rd, 2021.
Here are two videos of the ceremony that took place at the Loveland-Symmes Fire Station 61. One is the full ceremony and brief interviews with Holden, his grandmother, and his teacher. Watch as Goldfeder explains what Holden did.
How to protect children when they are around water
The first video is much shorter, but it best explains the message Goldfeder wanted embedded in parent’s and caregiver’s minds – how to protect children when they are around water. And, this is as you will see is a very important message for your child as well so that they will know what to do when someone is in trouble at the pool.
Goldfeder asks, “Who is your designated watcher?” Goldfeder wants to know, “Who’s watching the kids?”
