Water Safety Reminders from Miller Swim School

Did you know that on average, 11 children per day drown in the United States? Drowning is the number-one cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1-4. Drowning is fast and silent, it can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds, and it doesn’t always look like one would expect.

Per the CDC, the number-one factor that influences the risk of drowning is the lack of swimming ability and knowledge of general water safety. Therefore, the best thing we can do as parents, grandparents and guardians is to ensure that our children know the basics of water safety and have a certain level of skill in swimming.

Water Safety Recommendations from Miller Swim School

• Enroll in swimming lessons. Learning to swim can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent for 1- to 4-year-olds who take formal swim lessons.
• Review water safety reminders with friends and family (including nannies, grandparents and the occasional babysitter!).
• If you have a pool at home, remember, barriers work! Four-sided isolation fences, with self-closing and self-latching gates, can help keep children away from the pool area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming.
• Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, even if they know how to swim.
• Close supervision is required when kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), at all times. Drowning happens quickly and quietly, so adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading books, talking on the phone, texting and using alcohol.
• Unintentional drowning is preventable. Children need the undivided attention of adults when they are near or in water. That text message can wait, especially if it means saving a life!
• Even experienced swimmers are not exempt from an aquatic emergency. Brief children on how to make safe swimming choices prior to play dates, swim parties or lake trips.

Factors to Consider Before Enrolling in Swim Lessons

Here are a few important factors to consider when you are looking for a learn-to-swim program.

• Is the program and instructor highly recognized, with up-to-date certification?
• How long has the instructor been teaching water safety? Experienced teachers and teaching venues have multiple resources and methods available to teach water safety skills. Not every student learns at the same pace or under the same methods, and experience is a key differentiating point.
• How will you know when you’ve reached the “safe” level, where you can be confident in your water skills? Progressive learning with skill-level breakdown and positive reinforcement are essential. Communication and feedback regarding skill progression will keep you from being over-confident in the water.
• Will you or your child be able to learn all aspects of water safety? For example, how to use a personal flotation device (PFD), swimming with your clothes on and when to help others in the water.

Summer is great to enjoy time at the pool or beach, but it’s important to remember that as our time around water increases, so do drownings. Thankfully, adults can play a crucial role in protecting the children they love the care for.

Miller Swim School has been teaching swimming lessons to infants – adults for over 60 years. As experts in the field of swimming and water safety, they provide quality lessons and training programs to all ages. Miller Swim School has four convenient locations in the Tulsa area: Tulsa, Jenks, Owasso and Tulsa South. For more information about class offerings, check out millerswimschool.com.