CAPE CORAL, Fla. — May marks National Water Safety Month, and one Cape Coral swim instructor is calling on parents to start water education as early as six months old. The urgent reminder comes on the heels of two tragic water-related incidents in Southwest Florida: a near-drowning in Esteroand another where an 11-year-old girl lost her life on a Bonita Springs beach.
Lisa Lozada, owner of and instructor for Swim Gym in Cape Coral, helps children become confident and safe in the water.
Watch as she works with her students:
She noted, drowning is the leading cause of death in kids between the ages of 1 and 4.
One of her students’ parents, Lindsey Powell, said water safety has always been top of mind.
“That was my biggest fear of having children,” Powell shared, “If all it takes is someone that is an expert or an instructor who can save a life... why not?”
Lozada said lessons focus not only on strokes but also on breath control and floating... crucial skills in emergencies. She also warns parents about relying on flotation devices like “floaties.”
“When a child is used to swimming with a flotation device, their legs stay straight down..." Lozada explained, "It keeps their face out of the water, so they never learn to hold their breath."
Lozada has a passion for teaching children water safety. She said there can be life changing implications in near death situations and started a scholarship to honor a family who has dealt with this.
Please see the two following statements:
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance extends its deepest sympathies to the family of the 11-year-old child lost to drowning recently at Little Hickory Beach. As advocates for the water recreation industry, the PHTA along with its members, put safety first when it comes to recreating in or around water whether it’s in a backyard pool, lake or at the beach. Most parents are unaware that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children, and often times, as was the case with this child where weather and rip currents have been ruled out, a lack of water competency and basic swim skills is a key factor. This is why the PHTA, and its partners encourage parents to understand the many benefits of learning to swim, as not only a sport, but as a life-saving skill. For more information on swim lessons and swim safety, visit stepintoswim.org.
We are saddened to hear of the recent drownings in the area and offer our thoughts and condolences to the families involved and all impacted by the drownings, says Alissa Magrum, Executive Director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA). Drowning remains the single leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 and a leading cause for older children and adults in all kinds of water. The NDPA advocates for multiple layers of protection to prevent drowning. If one layer of protection fails, another is in place. These layers are; barriers and alarms, constant, capable and un-distracted supervision around all kinds of water, water competency and swimming skills, wearing life jackets and emergency preparedness- learning first aid and CPR with rescue breaths. We encourage everyone to please visit www.ndpa.org [ndpa.org] for free water safety educational materials and resources so that we can keep all people safer around water.
