BERKLEY – As warmer weather approaches, families are gearing up for pool and lake outings.
Confident swimmers train year-round, water safety experts said.
A 3-year-old at Aqua-Tots demonstrated impressive skills, treading water with ease.
“I can trust him to swim laps in the pool,” said Elise Wilson, the boy’s mother. “He knows how to take breaths and flip over.”
At 6 years old, Jade Hilson sought to enhance her swimming abilities. Nearly three years later, she is now considered an experienced swimmer.
“I’m working on breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle, and backstroke,” Hilson said.
Tiffani Miller, the general manager of Aqua-Tots, is passionate about water safety. She explained the ABCs of drowning prevention.
“A child can drown within a second,” Miller said.
‘A’ stands for adult supervision.
Miller noted that most drownings occur in residential pools, even with adults present.
‘B’ is for barriers, which means ensuring pools are secured with locks on doors leading to the pool and locking or removing ladders.
‘C’ represents classes.
The National Institutes of Health reports that formal swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by up to 88 percent.
It’s not just about being a better swimmer; it’s about water survival.
Children learn crucial skills, such as how to respond if they fall into the pool without goggles or how to react to strong waves or capsized watercraft.
“Swim lessons are never a bad thing,” Wilson said. “Your kid may be scared at first, but you have to think about how scared they’d be if they fell into the pool.”
While summer may not be here yet, the message is clear: safety is a year-round priority.
