From floating techniques to finding the nearest exit, children around the world learned critical water safety skills today during the 16th Annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™. The global, 24-hour event mobilized participants in 22 countries and 46 U.S. States – from Doha, Qatar to Dallas, Texas – with one shared mission: to help prevent childhood drowning through water safety education.
Drowning remains the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death worldwide and the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. In the U.S., July is consistently the deadliest month for drowning incidents, accounting for nearly 17% of all annual drowning deaths.
“As we head into the month of July, more families will be spending time in and around the water,” said Rick Root, president of the World Waterpark Association, the organization that coordinates the annual event. “Whether they’re visiting a lake, waterpark or a backyard pool, it’s vital kids and parents understand the proper precautions to take. Teaching every child basic swimming and water safety skills is a powerful step toward that goal.”
The 24-hour event brought together a diverse group of host locations – including waterparks, swim schools, public pools, and open-water beaches – to deliver hands-on swimming and water safety education under the banner “Swimming Lessons Save Lives.”
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon welcomed 1,000 students from seven different Florida-based non-profits to host the largest single event. “Hosting an event like this gives our cast members the chance to not only connect with kids in our community, but to share something they’re knowledgeable and passionate about,” said Tajiana Ancora-Brown, Director of External Affairs at Disney World. “Helping kids pair that skills-based learning with the fun of our waterparks, creates memories and moments that will stick with them forever.”
#WLSL #SwimmingLessonsSaveLives #WaterSafety #DrowningIsPreventable
