Sponsored by: Pool and Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) With summer just around the corner, there is even more time for children and families to spend time near the water, swimming and cooling off. The key to a fun and safe summer is learning to swim starting at a young age. The Pool and Hot Tub Alliance knows this. That’s why their Step Into Swim program provides tips and resources to properly prepare our kids for swim season. Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Rowdy Gaines joins our Laura Cavanaugh to share everything you need to know about swim lessons for the little ones and how to have a safe summer around the water. Gaines says learning to swim is a life-saving gift. It’s the only sport that can save a life. “Drowning is an epidemic in our country. It is the leading cause of death in children ages one to four,” said Gaines. “But we’ve found the cure. The cure basically is two simple words: it’s swim lessons. If a child takes formal swim lessons, it reduces that risk of drowning by almost 90 percent.” Drowning can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds and doesn’t always look like it does in Hollywood or the movies. It is fast and silent, but it is preventable. As we enter a busy summer season of water activities, Gaines says make sure safety is as much a priority as the fun. Emergency Preparation – know what to do in an emergency, learn CPR with rescue breaths, basic water rescue skills Restrict Access to Water – by creating barriers around pools, fencing, self-latching gates, barriers and alarms Capable Adult Supervision – designate a Water Watcher, put your phone down and keep an eye on your child in the water, be in the water with your kids Water Competency – Children can start swim lessons as early as their first birthday Properly Fitted Life jackets – on boats, around natural bodies of water Together, we can prevent drowning and save lives. Step Into Swim provides free and low-cost swim lessons across the country to those who cannot afford it. For a full list of Step Into Swim learn-to-swim providers near you, visit www.stepintoswim.org