As drownings rise, experts weigh in on what to look for when signing up for swim lessons

As fatal and nonfatal drownings skyrocket nationwide, swim experts are offering tips on finding effective, reputable, water safety lessons.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission's annual drowning and submersion report found that nonfatal drownings in pools and spas increased 17% from 2020 to 2021 among kids under 15 years old – 5,800 in 2020 and 6,800 in 2021. Most of those children were under five.

Jimmy Doan, aquatic injury expert and founder of The Doan Law Firm, said he has seen a "tremendous" increase in drownings in 2022.

"Just last week alone, I got five drowning cases," Doan said. "Usually, I may get five calls the entire summer."

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Doan, who works on drowning cases across the country, said inexperienced swimmers and the national lifeguard shortage account for the increase.

"People just haven't been at the pool in so long," he said. "Usually kids have swimming lessons, but some of these kids have skipped swimming lessons for two years because of COVID. There is also a huge lifeguard shortage nationwide, where places are going unguarded. They're shortening hours and they have to decide which pools have lifeguards in and which don't."

Dori Scott, the mother of 4-year-old Israel Scott – who died during a swim lesson, said knowing what to look for in an instructor can make all the difference.

"I would definitely encourage [parents] to go in knowing what to look for," she said. "I knew that [our instructor] was supposed to be good and highly recommendable – but go in knowing what the ratio is supposed to be. Make sure there's cameras, do not leave your children's side. Obviously, you just have to do your research because I never would have thought that this could happen."

The state of Georgia's regulations for schools and daycares that offer water-related activities require the following staff-to-student ratios:

• Classes with students ages 2.5 to 4 years old require a 1 to 5 staff-to-child ratio.

• Classes with students four years and older require a 1 to 6 ratio if those children can't swim 30 feet unaided.

Dolphin Academy Swim School has a ratio of 1 to 3 for children under four years old and 1 to 4 for children five years old and up. The YMCA has a ratio of 1 to 4. The Augusta Kroc Center requires one supervising adult be present for every three children under seven years old.

Amy Ristroph, the owner of Dolphin Academy Swim School, said to look for partnerships with accredited organizations. Dolphin Academy Swim School, for example, is part of the United States Swim School Association, which requires members to follow a set of strict safety standards.

The United States Swim School Association is a nonprofit organization that was "developed to assist the swim instruction industry to help maintain high ethical and professional standards in our industry," according to its website.

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The Augusta Family Y and the Augusta Kroc Center follow the American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program, according to their websites.

These accredited organizations are especially important when taking lessons in a private pool.

The Georgia Department of Public Health only assesses the safety and management of public pools. Private pools used for paid lessons or other water activities are not regulated.

Ristroph said a number of parents call about safety protocols.

"We've invited them to come and watch the lessons before they sign up," said Ristroph, who has taught children to swim for 29 years. "[Drownings] have brought up a huge number of questions about children's safety. That's OK, that's what parents are supposed to do – but it would be a devastating if people quit putting their children in lessons and trying to teach them how to swim."

The Georgia Department of Public Health inspects public swimming pools for safety features, verifying the pools have adequate fencing and gates, hand rails and ladders, an emergency phone operational and accessible and appropriate lifesaving equipment, according to its website.

In addition, Georgia DPH confirms records of operator training certifications, lifeguard training certifications, operator facility inspections and makes sure an inspection report is placed in public view.

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JP Hammond, Aiken County Family YMCA aquatics director said the YMCA eases children into their first lessons, focusing on the basics.

"We don't go into stroke development on the first day," he said. "We teach them the basics like, 'before we go swimming, what's the first thing we do – we ask for permission.' Then we teach them the basics – push, turn, grab. That way, if they ever fall in the pool, they know to push off the bottom, turn around and grab the wall."

In the U.S., more children ages one to four die from drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects, according to the CDC. For children ages one to 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.

Non-swimmers are often the hardest for lifeguards to spot, according to an article from USA Today.

"If troubled swimmers find themselves in a dire situation in the water, they often cannot yell for help because they are trying to breathe and yelling closes the airways," according to the article.

Hammond said appropriate training is imperative when it comes to water safety.

“There's a lot of people that don't have access to a pool or somebody that really knows how to teach them how to swim," he said. "I would recommend that they look at the facility and make sure that they feel comfortable and that the facility seems safe."

A good instructor is always vigilant and checks their numbers, according to Hammond.

"My first job here at the Y was a group swim instructor and then I've been a high school swim coach for 10 years," he said. "It's just one of those things – you're always taught to check your numbers and keep track of everybody. I think in an environment where you maybe don't have all the safety precautions, it could happen – but there's still just no good rhyme or reason for it."

While it can be scary to put your child in swimming lessons after hearing about drownings, Ristroph said education is the biggest lifesaver.

"My whole life has been working toward helping children swim and helping them be safer," she said. "I know that it is a scary thing, but it is much scarier to not go to the swim lessons. Taking lessons decreases the probability of children under 4 years old drowning by 88%. We can't run away from something that's going to help us – it is the leading cause of accidental death for children four and under."

Five indicators of reputable swim lessons

• Certified lifeguards are present at all times during swim lessons

• The staff-to-student ratio is consistent with American Red Cross standards

• Swimming pools have appropriate lifesaving equipment, such as an emergency phone and rescue gear

• Swim instructors are certified by an accredited agency, such as the YMCA or the American Red Cross

• Swim lesson providers are partnered with a credible swim association that requires members to adhere to safety and certification standards, such as the United States Swim School Association

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Swim experts offer tips for finding safe, reputable swimming lessons