Yorktown swim school offers safety advice as NY pools and beaches prepare to fully reopen

National Water Safety Awareness Month takes place every year in May as part of an effort to raise awareness of safe swimming practices.

News 12 Staff

May 15, 2021, 8:20 PM

Updated 1,245 days ago

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Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo's announcement of pools and beaches fully reopening on July 4, a swim school in Yorktown has tips on how you can keep your family safe this summer.
National Water Safety Awareness Month takes place every year in May as part of an effort to raise awareness of safe swimming practices.
According to Total Aquatics Programming data, two-thirds of annual childhood drownings take place between May and August. Drownings are also the leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 4.
As adolescent drownings have been on the rise, the Goldfish Swim School is offering tips to change that.
"The American Academy of Pediatrics actually suggests that kids start swim lessons as early as the age of 1. At Goldfish Swim School here, we actually start lessons as early as 4 months old," says Gillian Graves, the co-owner of the swim school.
Graves adds that there are a few important tips that swimmers of all ages should follow. This includes never swimming alone, wearing a life jacket and always following swimming rules
To ensure that more families are staying safe in the water, the Goldfish Swim School is broadening their reach across Westchester County.
"We've got a lot of kids and families coming back here, we're opening a school in New Rochelle this summer and there's been a really nice demand for that as well. So, we're excited people are eager to get back into lessons," Graves says.
The Goldfish Swim School is also launching its Safer Swimmer Pledge, which encourages families to join in the cause in promoting water safety. Those who sign up can win a chance at a free year of swimming lessons.