Amid a spate of drownings over the past two weeks, American Red Cross officials are stepping up water safety programs.

        “We're trying to get the word out of what the American Red Cross can do to help people be safe and have a good time,” said Melissa Booth, spokesman in the Red Cross' Cincinnati office. “We have been working with our water safety department to heavily promote water safety. You always need to be prepared for any eventuality.”

        Programs like the agency's Whale Tails are being presented at such places as schools, libraries and day camps around Greater Cincinnati, Ms. Booth said.

        The program teaches kids ages five through 12 how to be safe around the water.

        Still, the summer swimming season is off to a deadly start with at least seven drownings in Greater Cincinnati over the past two weeks.

        The latest occurred Wednesday, when 17-year-old Robert King of Toledo died after being pulled from the pool at the Preston Hotel in Sharonville.

        In a police report, Robert's brother, Jofre, said the two had been swimming in the pool's deep end. Jofre left him to go toward the shallow water. A short time later, several people spotted a body on the bottom of the pool, and Jofre realized it was his brother.

        The boys were part of a church group from Toledo staying at the hotel.

        The Hamilton County Coroner's Office had not completed its report Thursday night.

        Sharonville police say the drowning appears to be accidental and no charges have been filed.

        Wednesday's accident was not the first at the hotel's pool. In November, a 5-year-old boy died after being found in the water.

        Other recent drownings include a girl who died after being pulled from the pool at her Warren County home and a Butler, Ky., man who drowned in a Campbell County park. Both of those drownings occurred Saturday.

        Earlier this month, four people — including a father and his two young daughters — drowned in a gravel quarry near Camden.

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