Macon swim instructor shares water safety tips amid spike in drownings
Amid a spike in recent drowning deaths in Macon, swimming instructors are urging parents to stay vigilant and employ multiple protective barriers between children and any body of water.
Three children have drowned in backyard above-ground pools in the past month in Macon, Chief Deputy Coroner Lonnie Miley told The Telegraph Thursday.
Miley said he responded to two of the drownings — one an 18-month-old and the other a 2-year-old boy.
In light of the deaths, Miley urged parents to “keep an eye on (their children) all the time” near bodies of water.
Though the pools were three feet above ground, that height “is a lot for a child,” Miley said.
Miley, a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard, emphasized being vigilant of young children — even adults — near bodies of water, as “anything can happen,” he said.
Drowning risks
On Tuesday morning as the sun beat down, parents watched as their children took swimming lessons at Fusion Swim Club, located at 5097 Northside Dr..
The kids learned how to feel comfortable in the pool and float on their backs — two of the many important lessons that Wesley Hamborg, head swimming coach, stresses among students and their parents.
“The other thing that we do is every day, at the beginning (of their swimming lessons), we go over three rules,” Hamborg told The Telegraph. “Never swim alone, never run on the pool deck, never dive into shallow water.”
Hamborg said parents “can never be too vigilant as far as keeping an eye on your children at all times.”
“Even if you think that they’re a strong swimmer, or that they know not to go past a certain point. Kids will push boundaries, they’ll see what they can get away with,” Hamborg said. “Even the most well-behaved child can have a leg cramp or something go wrong unexpected … they need to be ... supervised by an adult at all times.”
Children go through about two weeks of swim lessons at Fusion Swim Club. Hamborg said they follow the SwimAmerica curriculum, developed by the American Swim Coaches Association.
For example, the students in Tuesday’s class learned how to kick, glide and pull strokes in the water. Students struck gongs once they mastered a skill and then moved onto the next lesson. In order to graduate, students must be able to swim 50 yards freestyle unassisted, swim 25 yards backstroke and tread water for one minute, according to Hamborg.
There are six stations at the Fusion Swim Club, and Hamborg said it takes about two weeks to complete all lessons. But the timing can also depend on the student’s comfort level, as many are fearful of the water.
Tips for safe swimming
The coach recommended that young swimmers wear well-fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vests, which are designed for safety and will stay in place. Pool noodles, floaties and other toys, on the other hand, can provide a false sense of security, he said.
Hamborg recalled two rescues he and others have conducted over the years. One was an elderly woman who swam to the shallow part of the pool with the help of a noodle. The noodle eventually slipped, and the woman was struggling to swim until she was rescued. Another rescue involved a child who was struggling to hold onto an inflatable dolphin.
“Everyone’s distracted, nobody was paying attention,” Hamborg said. “They think, ‘oh, there’s flotation things out there, that’s safety, maybe we don’t have to watch our kids as much.’ It’s actually more dangerous.”
In a drowning emergency, call 911 and start CPR before paramedics arrive. Hamborg recommended parents take a basic CPR class, too.
Place several barriers between the child and the water. Locking back doors, setting an alarm system and putting up a self-latching gate can help avoid drowning emergencies among children, he said.
Roughly 900 children and teenagers unintentionally die from drowning each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More children between the ages of one and four die from drowning than any other cause of death. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death of children between the ages five and 14 years old, according to the CDC.
Other than swimming lessons, parents can find additional resources on the Children’s Safety Network website and on Strong4Life from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Free swimming lessons
Macon representative Tangie Herring will host water safety and swim lessons at the South Bibb Recreation Center at 7035 Houston Rd. from July 27 through July 31 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Amazon, Georgia Power, Macon-Bibb County government, Y Not Us and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta are partnering with Herring for these classes.
Participants learn basic swimming skills, how to respond to emergencies and other skills that will reduce the risk of drowning.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to learn how to stay safe around water,” said Herring. “As a former educator, I’ve spent my career working to protect and support children both inside and outside the classroom. These free lessons can equip young people with skills that may one day save their lives, and I’m proud to partner with organizations that are making this opportunity available to families throughout Macon-Bibb County.”
Enrollment is free to participating of children from six to 12 years old. Herring encourages families to register early here, as enrollment is limited to 40 children.
