Learn to Swim
The American Academy of Pediatrics says it’s a good idea for all families to learn how to swim. Swimming lessons can help children as young as one year old, but parents should talk with their child’s doctor to figure out the right time to start.
In swim lessons, children should learn basic skills like:
- getting into the water
- coming back up to the surface
- turning around
- swimming at least 25 yards
- floating or treading water
- getting out of the water
Swim lessons also teach kids how to help themselves if they fall in, or how to swim while wearing clothes or a life jacket.
Even with lessons, swimming can still be risky. Cold water, weather, water depth, and currents can affect how well someone swims.
Other water safety steps include having a fence around the pool, making sure drains are safe, and always watching children closely. These steps work together to help prevent drowning.
Find swimming lessons in your area:
- Red Cross Swim Classes and Training
- YMCA – Find Your Y
- United States Swim School Association (USSSA)
- USA Swimming – Learn to Swim
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
In drowning situations, rescuers should focus on rescue breathing, clearing the airway, and calling 911 before beginning compressions. If someone has drowned and is not breathing, the best thing a bystander can do is start CPR right away. CPR includes rescue breaths, chest compressions, and using an AED. An AED is a machine that can help restart the heart during a heart attack.
In emergency situations, follow the Red Cross’s drowning chain of survival:
- Recognize the signs of someone in trouble and shout for help.
- Rescue and remove the person from the water, if it is possible to do so without putting yourself in danger.
- Point to one person and tell them to call 911. If alone, do two minutes of rescue breathing and CPR and then call 911.
- Begin rescue breathing, then CPR.
- Use an AED if available and transfer care to EMS.
Even if rescue breaths are the only intervention that is needed for the victim to regain consciousness, the rescuer should call 911 and the victim should be transported to a hospital for further evaluation.
To learn CPR, ask at your local rescue squad or fire station, YMCA, Red Cross, or other community organizations.
Lifeguards
Stay safe! Listen to the lifeguard.
Lifeguards help prevent injuries, save lives, and respond to emergencies in the water.
Lifeguards should be trained by a national program, such as the American Red Cross or YMCA.
Certified lifeguards know how to spot and respond to emergencies in the water and on land. They can help struggling swimmers and rescue drowning people. They also know how to help with other medical emergencies.