LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — As we approach the summer pool season, officials with the YMCA and Kentucky’s Swim with a Purpose organization are stressing that simply knowing how to swim isn’t always enough.
“One of the first things we teach here is when you see somebody drowning, do not go in the water to help them. Sounds counterintuitive, but you're going to drown too,” said Swim with a Purpose Founder, Sam Taylor.
Taylor’s group joined forces with the North Lexington Family YMCA on West Loudon Friday morning to bring 60 Franklin County fourth graders in for a swim safety lesson.
“Skills that can save themselves and/or identify others who may be at risk so they can contact an adult to help,” said YMCA Vice President Jessica Berry.
Berry wants everyone to have fun in the pool, but it’s one of those activities that must be taken seriously, or a tragedy can happen within a matter of seconds, and it can happen to a person who knows how to swim. That’s why everyone on the poolside deck plays a vital role in maintaining safety, too.
“We used to call them water watchers. Anyone around the pool with kids, or even adults who may not swim, always should be mindful of watching the water for anyone who might be in an unsafe situation,” Berry stressed.
Most of the kids here already know how to swim, but haven’t been taught the basics of being safe in the water. They did a lot of their work in and out of the pool this morning, including working on how to help someone in distress.
“That's how a lot of those drownings you referenced happen; a kid is in trouble, and another kid goes in to help him.” Taylor urged against doing that. “You throw something at the person, anything that’ll float, or a pole or anything they can grab onto. Don’t go in the water because neither kid can sustain two kids."
The controlled environment of an indoor pool, which the city of Frankfort does not have right now, is a good place for teaching these lessons before summer begins and everyone heads for the chaos of an outdoor pool.
“We want them to have fun, but anytime you're around the water, we want kids and adults to be serious,” Berry stated.
