3 Ways to Help Keep Kids Safe Around Water This Summer

Summer is just around the corner and with it comes graduation parties, family get-togethers, holiday barbecues and, finally, back-to-school activities, and that means that distractions abound. When a swimming pool is added to the mix, summer fun can turn deadly — especially for kids.

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in Arizona for children age 4 and under, generally in pool-related incidents; it is the second leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of 12; and nationally, three children die each day as a result of drowning.

May is National Water Safety Month and with summer vacation on the horizon it the perfect time to raise awareness about how to be safe around water, and the Valley of the Sun YMCA is leading the way.

“In Arizona, the Valley of the Sun YMCA is known as the most accessible community resource to prevent drowning,” said Jackie Gizzi, Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Risk at the Y. “Our swim lessons program and Water Watcher tags give us the ability to teach more children and adults in the Valley the importance of being safe around water.”

The Y offers these top 3 water kids safety recommendations:

1. Swim lessons. Kids who have formal swim lessons are 88 percent less likely to have a drowning incident. The Y says that drowning can happen nearly anywhere with standing water but encourages parents and caregivers not to keep children sidelined. Rather, equip them with the tools they need to be confident in and around water.Summer water safety programs at the Y include swim lessons (6 months to adults) and swim team (5–18 years old). They also offer a year-round member benefit of free swim lessons for children 6 months to 36 months. Visit valleyYMCA.org/swim for more information on our swim programs.
2. Parent supervision. The importance of having an adult designated to keep a lookout when children are in and around water cannot be overstated. And while drowning can happen any time of the year, June through August is peak time for drowning in Arizona. One safety tool, especially for those summertime parties and outings, is a designated “water watcher” — the Y is distributes 13,000 Water Watcher tags to Valley residents each summer.

3. Barriers. Children are naturally curious, and a backyard swimming pool can be an attractive draw. A physical barrier to pool access is a first line of defense against drowning. In addition to a pool fence, a door alarm can add an extra layer of access prevention.

   Beyond swim lessons, supervision and barriers, parents can level-up their water safety game with CPR classes. The American Red Cross (redcross.org) offers CPR classes around the Valley. For additional tips and resources, visit ymca.net/watersafety and childrensafetyzone.com.