ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 2, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Drowning is preventable and yet, it happens every
day. In fact, drowning is the leading cause of death in children
ages 1 to 4 in the U.S.1 As the risk for drowning
increases during swim season, Step Into Swim, a non-profit
initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), is empowering
families to practice proper swim safety.
"It's heartbreaking to learn about families who have lost a
child to drowning. Their pain is preventable," said Rowdy Gaines,
three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Vice President of Partnerships
and Development at PHTA who leads Step Into Swim. "For parents
looking to protect their child in the water, swim lessons are a
necessary and lifesaving tool that instill confidence and allow
them to thrive."
Step Into Swim recommends prioritizing these drowning prevention
tips:
- Swim Lessons: Formal swim lessons from a qualified
instructor can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among children
ages 1 – 42 and provide essential skills, like floating
on your back.
- Undistracted Adult Supervision: Drowning can happen
in as little as 30 seconds, making it critical for designated water
watchers to keep a close eye on children.
- Layers of Protection: Enact multiple layers of
protection, including life jackets, pool covers, fencing, locked
doors and safety alarms.
Thanks to donors, Step into Swim distributes grants to
learn-to-swim programs to provide free and reduced-cost swim
lessons to children in underserved communities. To support Step
Into Swim's lifesaving mission, make a donation at
https://www.stepintoswim.org/get-involved/donate/.
For more information, visit www.StepIntoSwim.org.
About Step Into Swim:
Step Into Swim™ is an initiative of the Pool
& Hot Tub Alliance committed to safe swim education and
drowning prevention. By investing in the next generation of
swimmers through learn-to-swim programming, the Step Into Swim
initiative instills confidence, empowers long-term participation in
water activities, touts the positive benefits of water play, and
advocates for safe practices. Since its inception in 2012, Step
Into Swim has played a role in reducing drowning fatalities and has
gifted swim lessons to more than 330,000 children with support from
community organizations, partners, industry advocates, members, and
more. For more information, visit www.stepintoswim.org.
Contact:
Brianna
Greco
Vault Communications, Inc.
bgreco@vaultcommunications.com
(610) 329-0442
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Drowning Facts.
2 Brenner, R. A., et al. (2009). Association
Between Swimming Lessons and Drowning in Childhood. Archives of
Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
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SOURCE Pool & Hot Tub Alliance