SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - One of the best ways to keep families safe during the summer is to make sure children know how to swim, and a South Florida organization is doing just that with some free lessons for the youngest ones.
Summer is around the corner, and there is no doubt many South Floridians will be taking the plunge to cool off.
“We just really want to encourage parents to sign their kids up to learn how to swim,” said Jim O’Connor with Miami-Dade Parks.
That’s why Miami-Dade County has partnered with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to raise awareness of the dangers of drowning and how important swim lessons are.
“Please watch your kids around the water, especially going into summer,” said O’Connor. “Teach the kids how to swim, sign up for swim classes.”
That’s what a dozen or so families did at the at the West Perrine Aquatic Center in Southwest Miami-Dade, Saturday.
“We have a pool in the house, and we’ve actually been trying to get them to learn how to swim for a while now,” said a father who attended the event, “and we found out about this event, so I think it’s a great event.”
“I really want them to learn to swim, because at 5 years old, there’s a lot of our pools in our community, and I want them to be safe,” said a mother who attended the event.
Sadly, drowning is the leading cause of death among children younger than age 4 in Miami-Dade County.
“It’s very concerning, and the two little boys that drowned in the pool,” said the mother who attended the event.
She was referencing the tragedy in Northwest Miami-Dade where two 13-year-old twin brothers lost their lives after they ended up in a lake at at Arthur Woodard Park, April 7.
The drownings are a stark reminder of how dangerous water can be.
“I think it’s very important for every child to learn how to swim,” said the father who attended the event.
For more information on Miami-Dade Parks’ 13th Annual Summer Safety Splash event, click here.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.