Take Action and Change the Statistics

Seal Swim School teaches swimming, safety, and survival in all of our classes. Water Safety education is an integral part of our program that strives to build happy, skilled, and safer swimmers while building self-esteem and creating a love of the water.

The Statistics

  • Drowning is the #1 cause of accidental death in children ages 1 to 4.
  • Florida is #1 in the country in drowning deaths in children ages 1 to 4.
  • Hillsborough County is #1 in the state in drowning deaths in children ages 1 to 4.
  • 88% of childhood drownings occur with at least 1 adult present.
  • 23% of childhood drownings happen during a family gathering near a pool.
  • 3,500 people will likely die from drowning in the U.S. this year.

Drowning is Preventable

The Ring of Safety is the concept we use at Seal Swim School to prepare and educate children and adults about being safer in and around the water. All pieces of the Ring work together to create the most effective level of protection around the water.

Supervision

88% of children drown in the presence of an adult and 23% of childhood drownings happen during family gatherings near a pool. Active supervision can reduce this percentage. We suggest that you identify an adult “Water Watcher” every time you are around water with children.

Swim Lessons

Formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% for 1-4 year olds. A child is never too young (check out this video) or too old to learn water safety, survival, and swim skills.

  • Look for swim lessons that integrate safety, survival, and swim skills
  • Take swim lessons continuously – safety skills should become a reflex so children do not panic and know exactly what to do in an emergency situation
  • Learn to swim unassisted – the AAP recommends avoiding floaties and puddle jumpers as they give children a false sense of security thinking they can swim when in fact the can not
  • Wear a coast guard approved life vest when on a boat and in open water
  • When swimming, follow the rules
    • Never swim alone
    • Look before you swim
    • Dive right and dive only in 10ft+ of water
    • Help, but don’t jump in – run and get an adult or yell for help

CPR & First Aid

CPR saves lives. Everyone in the household and anyone who is likely to supervise your child should know CPR with rescue breaths. Click here for a list of CPR classes in the Tampa Bay area.

Barriers

Every pool should have a fence that is at least 4ft high, is non-climbable, has self-closing/self-latching gates, and surrounds the pool on all four sides – especially the side that separates the house from the pool.

Additional levels of protection include:

  • Door & window alarms
  • Pool alarm
  • Approved safety pool cover

In Florida, it’s the law! Click here to learn more about Florida State’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act.

Know the Signs

Drowning is silent. It is not how it appears in the movies where the victim is splashing around widely and screaming. Often a child silently slips below the water. It can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds.

Our Water Safety Education Program

Ms. Therese, the founder and owner of Seal Swim School, is very passionate about water safety. So much so that in 2006, she published the first edition of Swim Safer Little Seals — a children’s book about water safety. The book was so successful that a Spanish version was published in 2010.

This book is an integral part of the FREE Water Safety Education Program that Seal Swim School offers to preschools, elementary schools, hospitals, moms groups, and others in the Tampa Bay area.

To book your Water Safety Education presentation or to learn more about the program call 813-229-SWIM or email KatieR@sealswimschool.com.

Testimonial