×

Origin

[language-switcher]

SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

CREATE AN ACCOUNT FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

CREATE ACCOUNT

ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT?

resqme, Inc.

  • SHOP
    • resqme®
    • resqhammer™
    • alertme®
    • defendme®
    • prepareme® Crank Flashlight
  • DISCOVER
    • BLOG
    • ABOUT
    • MEDIA
    • BECOME A RESELLER
    • CONTACT
Thursday, 17 October 2013 / Published in Auto Safety, Community, Driver Safety, Emergency Preparation, Family Safety, News, resqme News, Safety Awareness, Uncategorized

Think First for Safety: A Mother’s Mission Against Car Entrapment

Car entrapment is a serious threat on the road. Whether it’s due to flood, fire, or car accident, seconds count when it comes to escaping your vehicle. For Donna Uzzi, the tragic death of her son, Anthony, in a car accident that flipped the vehicle he was in into a canal was a wake-up call to the threat of getting trapped in a car. Wanting to honor her son and prevent another parent from ever experiencing her same pain, Donna started Think First For Safety Corp. She hopes to use Think First for Safety Corp. to spread awareness about car entrapment and driver safety. Donna promotes the resqme tool as a necessary aspect of driver preparation and education.

Donna Remembers Anthony

Donna remembers Anthony with a mother’s fondness. Of him, she says, “Anthony was a very outgoing young boy with a large circle of friends. When he wasn’t at school, he was with his friends at the beach or playing sports at the park. Growing up he played all sorts of sports, but it was basketball that he lived for. He would always be at the park playing basketball. Anthony was even practicing with the Coral Springs Travel Basketball Team hoping he would get on. He knew the coach for many years and he was training him. Unfortunately, Anthony passed before he could be told that he made the team, the team agreed to put him on anyway, gave him the No. 1 and played with one less player. The team won State Champion for his division. When they won it was wonderful and very emotional for all of us.”

The last picture taken of Anthony
The Night of the Accident

As Donna Uzzi recalls, “The day started out as a typical Saturday.” It was Homecoming night in Coral Springs, Florida. Donna’s son, Anthony Almonte, was out with friends celebrating. That fall day in 2009, Donna remembers that she, “went about [her] errands and Anthony stayed in all day. It was homecoming and due to the cost he wasn’t able to go. Anthony told me that him and his friends were just going to hang out with other kids that weren’t going to homecoming. I didn’t worry as he was turning 17, I wasnt having curfew problems and he was with good kids.”

From what was explained to Donna by Anthony’s friends, “they were at a friend’s house with another group of friends they knew from school. The driver decided to go for a quick ride to pick up another friend. [She] was told that when he came back he planned on driving Anthony and his other two friends home. Anthony asked if he could go along with them and proceeded to get in the car with the other three boys.”

While on the main road, the boys were involved in a car accident and hit a guard rail causing the posts to collapse and act as a ramp, which in turn, helped flip the car into the water of the canal. The car wound up upside down in the water. Only one of the boys was able to get out. The other three, including Anthony, were not saved in time. Anthony did not sustain serious injuries from the crash, but his death was a result of being submerged underwater inside the vehicle.

Car_still_in_water

Car Entrapment

Before Anthony’s tragic accident, car entrapment wasn’t a major cause of concern for Donna. “Before this accident, it never occurred to me that it would be so difficult to get out of your car when it’s under water. I am amazed how little people think of the possibility when it happens so often. Now I notice so many canals that are not properly protected by guard rails.” According to witness reports regarding the accident, “They ended up having to break the windows. I know they ended up having to call for knives to cut the seatbelts. I know they popped the tires as well…they had to roll the car. I’m not sure exactly why they had to roll the car but I know they had to roll the car while it was in the water to get it to be right side up. He was speaking about the police rolling the car. What he didn’t know is that they had to roll the car to get my son out.”

Donna and the resqme tool

Donna believes the resqme tool can help with her cause. “I like and promote the resqme key chain tool for various reasons:

1) It’s affordable
2) It’s easily accessible anywhere when it’s on your key chain
3) If everyone in the car has one on their keychain, everyone is prepared. If only the driver has one, every one else can easily find the steering wheel for the keys. They don’t have to look under seats or in the glove compartment and waste precious time.
4) Having a resqme on your keychain is a constant reminder of what happened to Anthony and therefore I hope a constant reminder of what to do to protect yourself.”

First trade show for Think First for Safety

Think First for Safety Corp.

When you ask Donna Uzzi how Anthony’s death has changed her, she responds, “Too many ways to list, however, I do have faith in God and I believe that everything happens for a reason. I feel this would not have happened to my son if there wasn’t something we all didn’t need to learn.” Donna wanted to do more than just remember Anthony. She wanted to help educate her community. Donna started Think First for Safety Corp to get involved with driver education, safety events, and teen driving safety awareness. “My job now is to bring awareness that what happened to Anthony, could happen to anyone. We all need to THINK, Together we can Help Inspire Necessary Knowledge. Educate ourselves and save our loved ones. It is now my personal mission to make sure everyone has a resqme and knows what to do if they should ever find themselves trapped in a car.”

To learn more about Donna Uzzi, her son Anthony, and Think First for Safety Corp, please visit: Think First for Safety and their Facebook page. 

You can get a resqme tool through Think First for Safety here.

Tagged under: auto, Auto Safety, awareness, Car Accidents, car entrapment, car safety, Community, driver safety, drivers, driving, Education, family, mom, mother, new drivers, Preparedness, safety, share, teen drivers, teen driving, teenagers, teens, Think First for Safety Corp

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Prevention Checklist: From the Female Point of View

    By: Aleksandra Mircevska     The fema...
  • What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Driving.

    By: Aleksandra Mircevska   Getting a drive...
  • 2021

    Happy New Year and all the best for 2021!

    2020 has officially ended! It would be a euphem...
  • Safety tips for Thanksgiving

    If you are lucky enough to be able to be with f...
  • 5 Safety Tips For Halloween ?

    Be extra careful with children crossing Hallowe...
  • Top 5 things to always have in your car

    Take good care of your car and you will drive i...
  • What is inside the resqme®?

    We all know the importance of being prepared in...
  • 5 things to do if confined during the outbreak

    We are living a period of uncertainty with a lo...
  • New driver resqme car escape tool safety keychain window breaker seatbelt cutter firefighters driver license automobile cars sinking car car entrapment ambulance emergency

    Top 5 New Drivers Tips

    You just got your driver license, congratulatio...
  • resqme car escape tool safety keychain window breaker seatbelt cutter firefighters driver license automobile cars sinking car car entrapment ambulance emergency

    How to use the resqme®?

    The resqme® is a great car escape tool but some...
  • resqme car escape tool safety keychain window breaker seatbelt cutter firefighters driver license automobile cars sinking car car entrapment ambulance emergency alertme anti drowsy driver alarm 90 db

    5 tips to prevent fatigue during long commutes

    There is no way around it, a long commute can b...
  • heat kills heatstroke resqme car escape tool safety keychain window breaker seatbelt cutter firefighters driver license automobile cars sinking car car entrapment ambulance emergency babies pets hot car act

    New technologies to prevent hot car deaths

    This past summer, 43 kids died of vehicular hea...
  • Kids in hot cars

    Summertime is here! June 21st marked the beginn...
  • Resqme and Rescue 42 team up for the release of the Ripper™ Laminated Glass Cutter

      Resqme, Inc. is proud to collaborate wit...
  • police rescue resqme car escape tool safety keychain window breaker seatbelt cutter firefighters driver license automobile cars sinking car car entrapment ambulance emergency

    5 things that will get you pulled over

    1. Lights malfunction You were taking your time...
  • 5 tips when coming home late at night

    1. Be aware of your surroundings When walking i...
  • 5 tips when running alone

    1. Listen to music at a reasonable volume When ...
  • resqme car escape tool safety keychain window breaker seatbelt cutter firefighters driver license automobile cars sinking car car entrapment ambulance emergency

    5 things to be a better car owner this year

    All right so 2019 is here! Happy New Year every...
  • Happy Holiday Season from the resqme Team!

    Ah the Holiday season… that special time of the...
  • Top 5 things to expect when driving with your kids

    Ah, taking a family trip! Away from work, it is...
  • Survivor testimonial: how the resqme tool helped save Jack’s life

    It is always a great reward for us when someone...
  • Thank you, Firefighters and first responders of California

    As the summer is almost ending, we would like t...
  • How to travel with your dog

    America’s love for dogs is getting stronger and...
  • Meet our team: Patricia

    A German in New York We are thrilled to introdu...
  • Our partners at Kids And Cars

    Thank you, Life Savers!

    We exhibited at the Lifesavers Conference in Sa...

Tel: +1 (805) 568-0227 | Toll Free: 1-866-473-7763
718 East Mason Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, USA

  • SHOP
    • resqme®
    • resqhammer™
    • alertme®
    • defendme®
    • prepareme® Crank Flashlight
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
  • MEDIA
  • BECOME A RESELLER
  • PARTNERS
  • CONTACT
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • WARRANTY
MY ACCOUNT

© 2020 resqme, Inc., All rights reserved.

TOP
My Cart
There are no products in the cart!
Continue Shopping
0