British Swim School Offers 6 Critical Water Safety Skills During National Water Safety Month

British Swim School
Published: May 8th, 2017

International Water Safety and Survival Franchise Shares Tips and Techniques to Avoid Drowning

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. - May 06, 2017 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for children ages one through four. Often silent and occurring in less than 20 seconds, it’s no wonder America has deemed May as National Water Safety Month, a time to educate and raise awareness of a silent, but deadly killer.

“Having a designated time devoted to promote and teach our country water safety is so important, especially seeing that downing takes 3,500 lives annually,” stated Rita Goldberg, former professional swimmer and CEO & founder of British Swim School, the pioneer of gentle, non-traditional infant water safety programs. “While this is a tragic truth, practicing basic swim safety techniques can be utilized in order to reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent and avoid becoming a statistic.”

To educate Americans on preventative measures to avoid a potential tragedy, Goldberg provides six water safety tips and techniques to combat factors that heighten a chance of drowning.

• Water Watchers - While this may seem obvious, constant and active supervision is necessary when a child is near water in a pool, tub, bucket, or ocean. Designate a “Water Watcher” who understands the basics of swimming (floating, moving through water), as well as CPR and first aid. The Water Watcher should always be on duty, paying attention to the pool, and free of distraction.
• Flotation Devices vs. Toys - The only devices to be used for safety are life jackets approved by the US Coast Guard. While personal flotation devices may seem harmless, do not rely on toys or swim aids, as children can easily remove or slip out of them. Remember, no device or toy is a substitute for supervision.
• Barriers - Install a four-sided isolation fence with self-closing and self-latching gates around backyard swimming pools to avoid a wondering child falling into a pool with no supervision.
• Communication - Talk to children to ensure the importance of proper safety rules and pull behavior are understood. To go a step further, have a child take a water safety pledge vowing to obey pool rules and never swim alone.
• Swim Lessons - Children are safer when they master swimming skills at an early age. Qualified instructors in numerous public and private community swimming programs can provide ongoing development of swimming skills.
• Know the Symptoms - Remain vigilant for 24 hours after a close call in water, even if the child appears happy with minimal symptoms. If a child begins to exhibit respiratory symptoms or unusual behavior, seek medical attention immediately. Dry and secondary drowning can occur up to 24 hours following an incident.

With more than 130 pools operating throughout the United States, Canada and Turkey, British Swim School offers the industry’s most innovate water safety program teaching safety and survival first, and swimming skill development second. For further information, visit www.BritishSwimSchool.com.

About British Swim School

British Swim School focuses on teaching water survival skills to children as young as three months old and offers swim lessons for all ages. Founded in 1981 by Rita Goldberg, a former national swimmer in England, British Swim School provides highly effective teaching methods that are recognized as the brand’s trademark. The franchisor, headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., operates more than 130 schools in nearly 20 states in the U.S., as well as internationally in Turkey and Canada. British Swim School ranked 309 in the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 in 2017, as well as Top 50 New Franchises and Top 10 Types of Franchises to Watch. British Swim School aligns itself with Stop Drowning Now and Pool Safely, which both share its mission to protect every life from drowning through education and water safety awareness. For more information about British Swim School visit www.britishswimschool.com and for franchise opportunities visit www.franchise.britishswimschool.com.

Contact:

Toni Lewin
Fishman Public Relations
847-945-1300
tlewin@fishmanpr.com

SOURCE British Swim School