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TUCSON - August is Drowning Impact Awareness Month, and Safe Kids Tucson held kick-off event Thursday at the DeMont Family Swim School.

Drowning Impact Awareness Month, which was started in 2004 by the Phoenix Children's Hospital, raises awareness of the dangers of drowning, which is the top cause of injury-related death for children in Arizona.

Speakers at the event Thursday included Kathryn Bulkey, Miss Arizona, and Lori Schmidt, the grandmother of one of last year's drowning survivors.

Twenty-seven purple "remembrance" ribbons were presented at the event, representing the 27 children lost to drowning-related deaths in Pima County since 2000, according to a release from Safe Kids Tucson.

The organization would like to remind everyone that "Every child drowning is preventable - but sometimes, little can be done for a child once he or she has fallen into the water. Prevention is the cure, and awareness is free."

Safe Kids Tucson suggests following the ABC's of Water Safety:

-Adult supervision when children have access to water.
-Barriers between children and water.
-Classes in CPR for adults, and swimming lessons for children at the appropriate age.