Free drowning prevention class starts this Thursday
May 6—With summer on the way and many kids to soon be out of school, Greenville Fire-Rescue has planned a series of three weekly drowning prevention classes called "Swim Smart," starting Thursday and continuing on May 16 and May 23.
The classes will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Fletcher Warren Civic Center at 5501 Business Highway 69 South and will cover topics such as general public and home pool safety, common pool emergencies and boating/lake safety.
In a press release sent out by the City of Greenville, several statistics were shared about the dangers and frequency of drowning in America:
—From 2012 to 2021 there was an average of 4,083 fatal unintentional drownings annually in the United States.
—For every child who dies from drowning, another seven receive emergency department care for nonfatal drowning injuries.
—Nearly 40% of drowning victims treated in emergency departments require hospitalization or transfer for further care (compared with 10% for all unintentional injuries). These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning.
—As of May 2, The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website noted that 15 children have so far drowned in Texas this year.
An online registration/survey form for the three-session drowning prevention class can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2f7tpdmu.
Those with questions about Swim Smart may contact Greenville Fire-Rescue's Safety Education Coordinator Sylvia Rodriguez Peace at (903) 457-2940 or srodriguez@ci.greenville.tx.us.
