Just when one thinks we’ve seen the worst of closures and summer plan snafus,it’s come to our attention that what’s left for water fun this year is in danger. Serious danger.
“Swim experts warn local families about an alarming drowning danger in our neighborhoods because of a triple threat jeopardizing the safety of our children,” came a piece from a Hudson Valley publicist for the region’s British Swim School, which pulled from a new government report on summer drownings. “The U.S. Lifesaving Association reports a dire shortage of lifeguards with not enough trained eyes on our local neighborhood pools. Stir-crazy parents are buying inflatable pools like crazy, thinking they’re totally safe, and not realizing kids could drown in two feet of water. Many local families are vacationing at home during COVID, distracted by work, a book or movie and not watching kids who could wander in bathtubs, backyard pools and unsupervised bodies of water.”
We’ve seen the lifeguard shortage forcing the closing of town beaches in the Adirondacks, as well as several Catskills and Hudson Valley locations.
British Swim School has announced that it will be holding new swim lesson classes at the Hampton Inn in Newburgh, date to be announced. Or at people’s homes or community swim areas.
“Approach is based on: Cleanliness, Personal Responsibility, Cooperation, Technology and Physical Distancing,” the effort’s site says of its new program, which includes interviews on Zoom. “Instructors wear face masks in the pool. Staggered class times. Contactless check-in. Kids come dressed in bathing suits. Limited number of people in the pool. Social distancing in and around the pool. Only one parent allowed in the facility.”
The idea is to have fun. And learn important water skills.
“With the added dangers of a lifeguard shortage and the surge of families distracted at home with kids swimming in backyard pools and unsupervised bodies of water, we are more energized than ever before to reopen and encourage more children to learn the essential skill of swimming to prevent drownings and save lives,” says Brian Garrison, president of British Swim School, now in over 200 location
“Swim instruction should not be an optional activity like soccer or piano lessons. We must teach our students the survival techniques they need to survive in the water while maintaining a safe and professional environment for everyone.”
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