I am not a great swimmer and I avoid taking my kids because I am scared they might drown. A couple of years ago I took my oldest to a swim party and told her to stay on the low end of the pool. I luckily kept my eye on her the entire time. I saw her inching toward the deep end (about 4-5 feet) and then I saw her head go under and her hands waving. I never ran so fast in my entire life screaming. The lifeguard was about 5 feet away and didn’t notice until she heard me screaming and jumped in to grab her. I didn’t want her to be afraid of water, so I encouraged her to go back to the low end to play. I still shake thinking of that moment!
So the KC Parks this year are offering free beginning lesson plans for Water Safety Month! If you aren’t in Kansas City, please check your local city to see if they are offering something similar! Read the press release below:
The goal of the FREE beginning lessons is to lower the possibility of a water-related incident and increase water safety knowledge among Kansas City children. May is also Water Safety Month! As we swing from spring to summer, it’s time to get ready for the swimming season which officially kicks off Memorial Day weekend.
Water safety is of the utmost importance. National statistics from the CDC show:
From 2005-2014, there were an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually in the United States — about 10 deaths per day. An additional 332 people died each year from drowning in boating-related incidents.
About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger. For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department (ED) care for nonfatal submersion injuries.
More than 50% of drowning victims treated in EDs require hospitalization or transfer for further care (compared with a hospitalization rate of about 6% for all unintentional injuries). These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities and permanent loss of basic functioning (e.g., permanent vegetative).
The safety of Kansas City children is paramount to the Parks & Recreation Department. The FREE lessons reaffirm our commitment to education and well-being for all of our residents. Please help us get the word out!
Sign up for FREE Swimming Lessons today!
Photo Credit: KC Parks
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