Miami International Airport earns recognition.
From David Volz
In recognition of its commitment to “prioritizing and ensuring an accessible, safe, and inclusive traveling experience for passengers with disabilities,” Miami International Airport has been accredited by the Airports Council International (ACI) Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation (AEA) program.
MIA is the first airport in Florida and the second in the United States to be accredited by the program, which was created by ACI in September 2022 based on existing international best practices and recommendations, including those in the ACI Airport and Persons with Disability Handbook. The AEA program also received input from global airport members, industry partners, and accessibility advocacy groups.
“We strive to make Miami-Dade County services as accessible as possible to all of our residents, which is why I am so proud that MIA’s efforts to serve travelers with disabilities are being recognized internationally,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “As MIA continues to grow and improve at every level, this global accreditation is evidence that the customer experience at the gateway to our community is on the right track.”
MIA earned the three-year accreditation by completing a detailed questionnaire developed with the support of the ACI Accessibility Advisory Group, which includes representatives from member airports, training providers, consultants, and accessibility organizations. Independent subject matter experts then performed an online validation interview with MIA representatives to evaluate the questionnaire.
“Your airport has successfully proven its ability and commitment to ensure an accessible, safe, and inclusive airport experience for passengers, airport workers, and the visiting public with disabilities, including physical impairments and non-apparent disabilities, as well as the elderly,” wrote Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Director General, ACI World, in his congratulatory letter to MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutié. “It is crucial that airports ensure they prioritize their national regulations on all matters related to accessibility, safety, and inclusiveness of travelers, airport workers, and the visiting public, when applicable, while continuously enhancing access for all and aiming to remove barriers in the airport experience. We feel confident that your efforts will help us in achieving this common goal.”
Miami Dade County Parks and Recreation to offer largest swimming lesson
From David Volz
June 22 the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department (Parks Department) will participate in the Guinness Book of World Records’ World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL), an annual event uniting aquatics facilities from around the world to raise awareness about the critical need for water safety education and swimming lessons to prevent drownings.
“Miami-Dade County is proud to join this global event that aims to keep our children safe around the water, especially now that we are entering the hot summer months,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Swimming is a critical life-saving skill for everyone, and drownings are completely preventable if we are prepared and have the tools to avoid them. Miami-Dade County is working with our parks, first responders, and community partners to expand access to water safety and learn-to-swim lessons, as well as recruiting more lifeguards and swim instructors.”
Throughout the day, children, ages six to 14 who take Learn2Swim classes at Miami-Dade Parks pools as part of their enrollment in the Parks Department’s Summer Camp program, will participate in the simultaneous worldwide swimming lesson.
The event will begin at 10:15 a.m. at Miami-Dade’s Tropical Estates Park Pool and at 11:15 a.m. at Oak Grove Park, Wilbur Bell Park and South Dade Aquatic Park Aquatic Center. These four Miami-Dade County pools will join water safety and training organizations, waterparks, aquatic centers, YMCAs, and swim schools around the world on this day universally designated to send one focused message: Swimming Lessons Save Lives.
The group swimming lessons will cover basic swim strokes, learning how to stay safe in and around water, and the importance of adult supervision when swimming. Miami-Dade Parks, as a host location, will be responsible for counting, recording and submitting the total number of lesson participants to the World Waterpark Association to qualify as part of the final official count of the 2023 World’s Largest Swimming Lesson.
Tragically, drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death among children ages one to five and the second leading cause for ages 14 and under, nationwide. Florida has the second highest number of drowning incidents in the United States, and Miami-Dade County leads the state in drowning deaths.
