What is the most popular activity for Floridians? Now think about this for a minute. We live in Florida which is surrounded by water on three sides. Did you guess right? It’s going to the beach or pool. Floridians have the opportunity to spend a good chunk of the time year-round near pools and water. According to the South Florida chapter of the American Red Cross, 90 % of Floridians plan to participate in water related activities this summer. 48% of these individuals who were surveyed had a near drowning experience and 1 in 3 of these incidents occurred between the ages of 5 and 15. Therefore, learning how to swim is a vital skill for Florida residents. What are some swimming safety tips? Where can you go in Gainesville to learn this vital skill? Read on to learn about the benefits of this skill.
1. Learn proper swimming techniques. If you can’t swim well, then you are at a greater risk for drowning. You also will not be able to help anyone else in trouble in the water.
2. Keeps life saving equipment nearby when you are near water- You never know when an emergency might occur. Therefore, it’s important to have a life jacket, ring buoy, first aid kit, pole, emergency contact information and a cell phone.
3. Never leave children unattended- Children need to be supervised at all times when in or near the water. Older children who are good swimmers still need supervision and those with less swimming ability need to wear a floatation device.
4. Be aware of your surroundings- Use common sense. Check the local weather and tide reports before planning a day at the beach.
Do you need to learn how to swim but have no idea where to start. There a lot of great resources available in the Gainesville area. Check out the following Websites:
www.theswimsquad.com
www.bigfishswimschool.com
Both of these sites offer classes for infants through adulthood. It’s never too early to start swimming or just take a class to improve your skills. You never know when you will be in a situation where you will need to either sink or swim!
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