Paddle, kick, dunk -- it’s swim lesson time at North Rampart Community Center in New Orleans.
“Swimming prevents you from drowning because you know how to tread water, freestyle,” said Rhoss Lucas, an 11-year-old student taking swim lessons at the center.
Leading the youngsters is Coach Jeffrey D. Parker. Eyewitness News showed him a recent viral video of a 2-year-old climbing over a gate meant to prevent children from getting in the pool. The boy’s parents say the child has climbed up the gate before, and they took the video as documentation to show others how dangerous it could be.
“Had that kid gotten into that water it could have been detrimental, but if that kid had been taught swimming lessons at an early age they would have been much safer,” Parker said after watching the vide.
You can start teaching a child to swim as early as six months, according to the American Red Cross.
“If you start teaching them how to be safe in and around the water at that age, naturally it’s just going to progress and they will become much better swimmers,” Parker said.
According to statistics from the Red Cross, nearly 55 percent of Americans don’t know how to swim. The CDC says about ten people drown every day in the U.S.
There are other ways to prevent drownings like learning C.P.R, floating devices, always swimming near a lifeguard and avoiding currents, but for parents like Cherie Keasley learning to swim is the most important.
“Safety is the main concern because you hear of so many drownings,” said Keasley.
Two weeks ago her son, Jaden, didn’t even want to get his face wet when he was taking a bath but now that has changed.
"He is not afraid to go underwater. He’s not afraid of the water at all and before he was totally petrified,” said Keasley.
For kids like Lucas and his friend Dakanya Dillon, they are getting better with each lesson. Maybe one of the friends will become lifeguards.
“If someone is in trouble you can go save them if you know how to swim,” said Lucas.