Summer Swim Safety Tips

School’s out and summer’s here! Before you hit the local pool with your kids, it’s crucial your kids take swim lessons.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fatal drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages one to 14 years old. What’s more, nine people drown each day in the U.S., and children from non-swimming households are eight times more likely to be at risk of drowning, a USA Swimming study reports.

Here in Cincinnati, the YMCA is a great resource for families. The Y is the largest operator of swimming pools in the United States, with more than 2,200 pools. Today, tens of millions of people across the United States have learned how to swim at the YMCA, including Olympic Gold Medalists Cullen Jones and Ian Crocker, as well as former President Ronald Reagan.

There are YMCAs in virtually every Cincinnati suburb. Swim lessons are offered year round, and it’s recommended that every child enroll in lessons before they hit the pools.
In the meantime, brush up on swim safety with these tips from the YMCA:

1. Only swim when and where there is a lifeguard on duty; never swim alone.

2. Adults should constantly and actively watch their children.

3. Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.

4. Parents or guardians of young children should be within an arm’s reach.

5. Children and adults should not engage in breath holding activities.

Swim safety is important! Schedule swim lessons today -- and make sure your kids always follow the rules of the pool.

Sources: YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, CDC, USA Swimming.

Photo credit: Thinkstock.