Friends and family of Matt McParland, the 42-year-old U.S. chiropractor who drowned while on vacation recently in Costa Rica, are mourning the loss in his home country.
Meanwhile, friends of McParland who reside year-round in Tamarindo, in the northwest province of Guanacaste, are struggling to cope with a tragedy striking so close to their home away from home.
Frustrated by the thought that McParland might still be alive if the beach's privately funded lifeguard program had not been dropped less than four months before, some residents are taking action.
Water safety is a concern that has rippled across the country. The Red Cross reported that drowning last year was the third most common cause of death its volunteers responded to, claiming at least 12 lives. However, because the Red Cross is not present at every beach, pool, river and lake, the number could be much higher.
In 2006, for example, there were 161 drownings, according to the statistical office of the Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ). The office did not yet have complete statistics for 2007.
Sisters-in-law Ann and Cheryl McKillican are going door to door to hotels in Tamarindo to pool money for the Matt McParland Fund, which they hope will reach $20,000 to finance a permanent lifeguard program on the popular but treacherous coast.
Cheryl McKillican said the fund is open to international donors as well, and could involve bringing U.S. lifeguards down to provide training.
Adequate training and equipment are real concerns for Tamarindo residents, who believe that McParland's life might have been saved if the rescue team's automated external defibrillator, an electrical jumpstarter for the heart, had contained fully charged batteries. But residents are also coming to terms with the fact that greater preventive measures are needed.
Those interested in taking part can contact the fund's organizers at e-mail address cherylmckillican@hotmail.com or by telephone at (506) 653-1096, for Cheryl, and (506) 339-5570 for Ann. |
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