PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Swimming — an activity often paired with sunny days and ice cream — isn’t just another way to fill a hot summer day; it’s a life-saving skill.

For the last two years I have been a swim instructor at Goldfish Swim School – Fox Chapel. I have spent hundreds of hours in the pool teaching anyone from moms with a 4-month-old in their arms to 12-year-olds with a faster freestyle than me.

I’ve seen it all. The anxious swimmer, the sad swimmer, the bouncy swimmer. However difficult they may be, how loud they may scream, they still need to learn how to swim — now more than ever.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is now the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4. About 40 million adults, or 15.4%, do not know how to swim and 54% of adults have never had a swimming lesson. The lack of these skills is more prevalent in Black and Hispanic populations.

After years of decline, incidents of drowning are on the rise, according to the CDC. More than 4,500 people died due to drowning each year from 2020–2022 — 500 more per year compared to 2019, statistics show.

During the pandemic, pools closed, and swimming became less accessible.

The less comfortable someone is in water, the easier it is to panic and lose control.

And drowning isn’t exclusive to pools, lakes and oceans. Just 2 inches of water can be fatal for an infant or a toddler. Planning on a swim day or not, kids tend to find their way into the water. Prevent incidents by keeping any easily accessible open water covered, gated, locked and secured.

Swim lessons might feel like a hassle and maybe even a waste of money. But it isn’t just another scheduled activity, like piano lessons or a soccer tournament — it’s a safety skill.

The lessons don’t have to be at Goldfish either, there are swim lessons all over the city ranging from private to large groups. The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh and other YMCA branches around the region offer children’s and adult classes, as does the Jewish Community Center of Pittsburgh. Find a longer list of swim lesson options in Pittsburgh here.

When fishing for swim teachers, especially for children, it’s important for the swimmer to trust their instructor, so the swimmers gain confidence and independence instead of fear and anxiety.

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

If they don’t like their first teacher, find them another.

Regardless, it can be tough for parents to leave their kids behind, tears streaming down their faces, their hands turning red from gripping their mom’s arm so hard. But, almost always, they get in the water, and get their feet wet.

A crying kid is better than a drowning one.

Most of the time the tears aren’t even from a fear of the water, it’s more likely the separation, but every kid makes it through their first day of kindergarten, eventually, they can handle a 30-minute lesson.

According to the Red Cross, everyone should be able to do these five actions in the water; submerge completely, swim 25 yards to a nearest wall or exit of the pool, tread for one minute, rotate in a circle and find an exit and climb out of the pool without a ladder.

Can you do it? Can your kids?

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

This summer is the perfect chance to get comfortable in the water. Start small, practice back floating, flutter kicking and blowing bubbles through the mouth and nose under the water.

For pool parties this summer, water tests passed or not, no one should swim alone, unwatched. Hire a lifeguard to watch over unguarded pools during high volume swim days.

If you can’t find someone certified, designate someone to stay sober and be responsible for the pool at all times.

There are five stages of drowning, so be able to recognize them.

The first step is surprise, which begins on the surface. Watch out for panic, splashing and struggling in the water. It’s not always a big production though, the water can also silence a struggle.

Keep a headcount of those in attendance. Pay special attention to dark-colored bathing suits that blend in with the water. Sometimes a dark shadow in the water is really something more.

“If you don’t know, go!” is the lifeguard motto, and it could be the thing that saves someone’s life.