With summer approaching and eager swimmers ready to take a dip in the pool, now is the time to dive into water safety.
Cranberry Township will join communities around the world in taking part in the 14th Annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson. The event, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at the Township Waterpark, coincides with a larger, 24-hour drive to teach proper swimming safety and habits to as many individuals as possible.
Township swim instructors and staff from Goldfish Swim School in Wexford will offer free swimming lessons for all ages during a 30-minute period.
According to research conducted by the American Red Cross, water competency skills have increased significantly since 2014, jumping from 46% to 56% of people possessing key, lifesaving water competency skills in 2020. Overall, drowning deaths worldwide and in the U.S. have decreased over the past two decades.
Research released by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2021 shows drowning has become the leading cause of unintended death for children ages 1-4, ahead of car accidents, birth defects and cancer. Drowning remains the second leading cause of unintended death for kids 4-14 and the third for adolescents ages 15-17.
For more information and to register, visit goldfishswimschool.com/wexford.