YMCA Offers Tips for Safe Swimming for Fourth of July Holiday Weekend
  • According to the USA Swimming Foundation and University of Memphis, two children die every day because of drowning.
  • According to a national research study conducted by the USA Swimming Foundation, the University of Memphis and University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 60 percent of African American and 45 percent of Hispanic children cannot swim compared to 40 percent of Caucasian children.
  • In 2018, 46 people drowned in Minnesota in boating and non-boating related accidents, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Minneapolis, MN – The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, provides water safety tips to help kids, teens, adults and families enjoy lakes, rivers and pools during the Fourth of July holiday weekend and throughout the summer months.

Safety tips to practice in and around the water include:

  • Never swim alone.
  • Adults should constantly and actively watch children in their care.
  • Always keep young children or non-swimmers within arm’s reach of parent or guardian.
  • Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
  • Don’t engage in breath holding activities.
  • Don’t jump in the water to save a friend who is struggling in deep water rather use a long object to reach for them and pull them to safety.
  • Enroll children and non-swimmers in water safety or swim lessons.

“The YMCA is committed to saving lives through water safety programs and education,” said Glen Gunderson, president and CEO for the Y. “Each year our Y reaches over 5,000 people through the Safety Around Water program alone. Thanks to partnerships with Abbey’s Hope, Delta Air Lines, Hawkins Inc., Hennepin County and USA Swimming Make a Splash Foundation, we are able to offer this program free of charge so all can access life-saving lessons and skills.”

About the YMCA of the North

The YMCA of the North is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Established 163 years ago, the Ys provide life-strengthening services across the greater Twin Cities metro region, southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin communities. The 29 Y locations and program sites, eight overnight camps, 10 day camps, and more than 90 child care sites engage 370,000 men, women and children of all ages, incomes and backgrounds. To learn more about the Y’s mission and work, visit www.ymcamn.org.