May is National Water Safety Month. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injuries and deaths worldwide. Local swimming instructors believe that without the proper training and safety equipment, things can go awry quickly. “Water is powerful and things can go wrong quickly, so being comfortable and confident in the water can be the difference between having a good time and being equipped with the tools to know what to do if something happens and you find yourself in a situation where you need help,” said Carla Reynolds, founder of Swim Savvy. “You can prevent drowning 100% of the time and take swimming lessons,” said Rebekah Craig, founder of Aqua Angels. Julia Gilchrist of the National Drowning Prevention Coalition said having a life jacket can make all the difference, especially in larger bodies of water. “Life jackets are very useful for people who are not good swimmers or if they get caught in a current or get tired in unfamiliar waters because they give you buoyancy. They give you buoyancy until someone finds you or until you can get to shore and get out of the situation,” Gilchrist says. But nothing beats learning how to swim. This includes treading water, swimming at least 25 yards without stopping, and being able to jump in and out comfortably. “If you can't do these things, I would recommend taking swimming lessons. Like I said, if you're an adult or if you have kids, nieces, nephews, they should take swimming lessons too,” Craig says. Reynolds says there isn't a specific method you can rely on, but there are things that can help, like learning how to float. Also, make sure the lifeguards are on duty and are CPR certified. Finally, learning how to control your breath in a tense situation can be a game changer. “Swim lessons are insurance to make sure you have the tools in your tool belt to help yourself if you find yourself in a situation you can't control,” Reynolds says. Here are some places offering swim lessons this summer. Swim SavvyAqua AngelYMCAGreenville County Parks and recreation
May is National Water Safety Month, as the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury and death worldwide.
Local swimming instructors believe that without proper training and safety equipment, things could go awry quickly.
“Water is a powerful force and things can get ugly really fast, so being comfortable and confident in the water can be the difference between having a good time and having the tools in your tool belt to know what to do if something happens and you find yourself in a situation where you need help,” said Carla Reynolds, founder of Swim Savvy.
“Drowning is 100% preventable in 100% of cases and can be managed with swimming lessons,” Aqua Angels founder Rebecca Craig said.
Julia Gilchrist, from the National Drowning Prevention League, said having a life jacket is crucial, especially in larger bodies of water.
“Life jackets are very useful because they provide buoyancy for people who are not good swimmers or if they get caught in a current or are exhausted in unfamiliar waters. They provide buoyancy until someone finds you or until you can get to shore and get out of the situation,” Gilchrist said.
But nothing beats learning how to swim, which includes being able to tread water, swim at least 25 yards without stopping, and dive in and out with ease.
“If you can't do that, I would encourage you to get swimming lessons. Like I said, you as an adult, your children, your nieces, your nephews, they all need to get swimming lessons,” Craig said.
Reynolds said there's no specific method to fall back on, but there are some things that can help, like learning how to float. Also, make sure there are lifeguards on duty who are CPR certified. Finally, learning how to control your breathing in a tense situation can make a difference.
“Swim lessons are an insurance policy to make sure that if you ever find yourself in a situation that is out of your control, you have a tool in your tool belt to help yourself,” Reynolds said.
Here are some locations offering swimming lessons this summer.
