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Osceola County’s children will be able to receive free swim lessons this summer at the Chris Lyle Aquatic Center in St. Cloud, thanks to a swim safety initiative announced Monday. PHOTO/DEBBIE DANIEL
This summer, 150 Osceola County children ages 6 months to 14 years will receive free swim lessons at the Chris Lyle Aquatic Center, thanks to a new program being launched by Osceola County.
District 5 Commissioner Ricky Booth announced Monday that the $10,000 program will be funded by the County Betterment Grant Fund and the City of St. Cloud, partnering with St. Cloud Main Street.
The Summer Swim Safety Campaign will provide each child a full eight-day session of 30-minute swim lessons. Parents/caregivers will pay $65 when they register for the lessons, but the full amount will be refunded to them upon completion.
“Summertime is the best time of year here in Florida, and we want to make sure that when our kids are enjoying a pool, or a pond, or a lake, we want to make sure they’re safe in and around water,” Booth said.
Osceola County Fire Division Chief John Murphy said, “As we move into the summer, people are spending more time around water, beaches, lakes, ponds, As it stands right now nationwide, we have an estimated 4,000 unintentional drowning fatalities that children have gone through, and we also have an additional 8,000 nonfatal drownings that happen yearly in the United States. That equates to 11 deaths and 22 nonfatal accidents a day. Florida is consistently one of the highest ranking in these numbers. For the past year, we have been responding to a record number of unintentional drownings.”
By following three easy steps, St. Cloud Fire Rescue Chief Jason Miller says we can help change those statistics.
“It’s the ABCs of drowning prevention. One is adult supervision. Having adults present and around children, whether they’re in a pond, a pool, or even the bathtub. Having that supervision helps prevent drownings,” he said. “Barriers, particularly pool barriers in your house, or alarms on your exterior doors to the pool deck. Those are great methods to help make parents aware when something’s going on. And the last one is classes. That’s what we’re here celebrating today. Classes and swim lessons. This could be one of the No. 1 preventers.”
To register for the swim lessons, visit www.stcloudfl.gov/1494/Swim-Lessons and click the “Online Registration” button, or call 407-957-7136. Participants must be residents of Osceola County. Registrations are first-come, first-served, and there will be no rainchecks.
