As more people spend time in pools and at beaches, health officials are emphasizing the need to learn water safety to prevent a tragedy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say 8,000 people are brought to emergencies rooms for near drownings every year. Drownings are also a leading cause of death for children in the U.S.

To avoid tragedy, doctors say parents should keep an eye on children in or near water and swim in areas where there is a lifeguard on-duty. They also suggest kids and parents should swim within arm's length of each other.

Other tips include not relying on flotation devices to keep kids afloat and enrolling them in swim lessons to learn how to float and tread water.