Water park manager gives swimming safety tips

How to stay safe in water during summer

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Water parks across more than 20 countries offered swimming lessons Friday as part of "The World's Largest Swimming Lesson" event to spread awareness about water safety. 

Adventure Landing in Jacksonville Beach was packed with families Friday, who already took swimming lessons or wanted to enjoy the water rides.

According to the Department of Children and Families, Florida loses more children under the age of 5 to drowning than any other state in the nation. News4Jax spoke with the Jeremy Christian, water park manager at Adventure Landing, and parents about how they keep their families safe in the water. 

Experts said if you're not a strong swimmer, but still want to cool off in a pool, at the beach or at a water park like Adventure Landing over the hot and sunny summer month, wear a life jacket -- floaties and tubes won't cut it when it comes to staying safe in the water. 

"It's definitely not good enough if they don't know how to swim and they're in deeper water where they won't be able to stand and have their nose or mouth out of the water. The jacket (when) it's actually attached to them, and approved by the Coast Guard, is the best option by far," Christian said. 

Adventure Landing on Beach Boulevard has dozen of lifeguards on duty in case of an emergency, but Christian said it's the parents who are the first line of safety, by keeping an eye on their kids.

Parents should also make sure they're in the right pool for their age and swimming abilities, the water park manager said.

Each pool at Adventure Landing is different, with some being shallow for little ones, while others are deep for the more experienced swimmers. 

When it comes to the water, grandmother Laurie Sanders said her daughter never leaves her grandchildren's side. 

"We cannot let them out of our sight and we know CPR," Sanders said. 

Sanders' 2-year-old grandson even took swimming lessons when he was 9 months old.

"She wanted them to know how to get to the steps and get out," Sanders said. "You live in Florida, where there's water all the way around us. And they need to know how to at least find safety."

DCF offers water safety tips to prevent drowning deaths:

  • Supervision: Someone should always be actively watching children when they are in the pool. Designate a "water watcher" to keep an eye on swimmers. 
  • Barriers: A child should never be able to enter the pool area unaccompanied by an adult and barriers should psychically block a child from the pool.
  • Swimming lessons: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 4 and older learn to swim in order to help prevent drowning. It also encourages caregivers of children ages 1-3 to consider swimming instructions for their child, as studies have shown it reduces drowning incidents. 
  • Emergency preparedness: It's important to learn CPR, even people who are not parents. 

For more water safety tips, visit myflfamilies.com