Safety Training For Swimming

Swimming is an invigorating activity that almost anyone, at any level of fitness, can get involved in. Being in the water in any capacity involves a certain amount of risk, especially where children are concerned. Awareness of and familiarity with basic swimming and water safety procedures is paramount. A small investment of time and money in swimming safety training ensures that you are equipped to handle urgent situations, should they arise.

Swimming Proficiency

The most obvious, yet often overlooked, safety training for swimming is simply to learn to swim well. If you can take care of yourself in the water, you are that much more prepared and capable to look after your family, friends and neighbors who may need help while swimming.

Courses

The American Red Cross offers numerous safety training courses for swimmers, including home pool safety, general water safety, first aid classes, and CPR workshops, all at local aquatic facilities. These lessons provide a working knowledge of swimming safety training for a relatively small outlay of money and time.

Benefits

Swimming safety training takes care of that "what do I do" moment that sometimes strikes in the midst of an emergency---if a small child falls off a dock and into the lake, for example, or a friend gets caught in a current at the beach. Familiarity with swimming safety training and general water safety gives you the necessary skills to spot potential swimming hazards, as well as prevent and respond to emergencies in a competent and timely manner.

Children and Water

Any body of water, from the bathtub to the Atlantic ocean, can be dangerous for children. The Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center estimates that for each drowning fatality involving a child, four children are hospitalized and 14 are taken to the emergency ward. Among those children who have undergone immersion and lost consciousness, nearly 50 percent don't survive. Swimming safety training is imperative for children at any age. Self-rescue swimming lessons for babies and toddlers are available from companies like Infant Swimming Resource. The American Red Cross also offers Parent and Child Aquatics for kids ages six months to three years, and Preschool Aquatics for those aged four to five years.

Home Pools

The highest drowning rates occur in children less than 5 years old, says Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center. For toddlers especially, pools pose the greatest risk of death by drowning. Swimming safety training is a must for anyone with a home pool and small children. The American Red Cross offers an online course for home pool owners to teach basic swimming and water safety in and around the pool.