Did you know May is Water Safety Month? Every May, the need for ongoing water safety education is highlighted during Water Safety Month. At British Swim School, every month is water safety month because unfortunately, drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional death in the United States. The need for education in and around water is paramount.
At British Swim School, our mantra, ‘Survival of the Littlest,’ is at the center of everything we do, with water safety as our #1 priority!
Teaching children to swim is an important step toward water safety, but swimming lessons alone will not ensure that they are safe in the water. Multiple layers of protection are always recommended by safety experts. Aside from formal swimming lessons, water safety necessitates active monitoring, physical barriers, sirens, and other measures.
Why is Water Safety Important?
The risk of drowning exists anywhere there is water, especially for children. Through education and water safety awareness, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning.
Important drowning facts everyone should know:
- Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children, especially children ages 1-4, who are at the highest risk of drowning.
- While drowning risks vary by age group, no one is “drown proof” – even adults and experienced swimmers can get into trouble in the water!
- A person can drown in less than 60 seconds if gone unnoticed.
- A person can drown in less than 2 inches (6 centimeters) of water.
Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe in the water:
- Water watcher – Always have someone watching your children near any body of water. Ensure that they maintain visual contact with the children the entire time as responsibility is vital around the water. Click here to learn more about our Water Waters Program.
- Don’t rely on toys – Floatation devices are not a substitute for supervising your children. DO NOT rely on water wings or any other inflatable flotation device to save a child in a water emergency.
- Be ready for anything – Ensure that there is rescue equipment nearby because accidents can happen in seconds and every second matters when saving a life. Learning CPR or updating your skills is always a great idea!
- Learn young – The earlier your child learns water survival and safety skills, the earlier they will be able to survive an accident in the water. With our proven teaching methods, even babies can learn to flip onto their back!
- Guard your pool – Intall a four-sided isolation fence completely separating the pool area from the house and yard, this reduces a child’s risk of drowning by 83%.
British Swim School’s unique water safety program uses teaching methods that are the trademark of our company. Our instructors are dedicated to teaching water safety techniques in a gentle, fun, but most importantly, highly successful approach. We do not run our lessons according to set courses, but rather to match our students’ abilities and comfort level.
For more information about water safety, please visit: https://britishswimschool.com/water-safety/