Red Cross Pushes Swim Safety Awareness

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Summer heat is setting in across the U.S., and it is as good a time as any to hit the water and cool off. However, Red Cross research suggests that Americans believe they are better swimmers than they actually are. An April 2014 survey found that while 80% of Americans said they could swim, only 56% of the self-described swimmers could perform all five basic skills that could save their lives in the water.

As part of its national drowning prevention campaign, the Red Cross is promoting those basic skills, which include:

• stepping or jumping into the water over one's head; 
• returning to the surface and floating or treading water for one minute; 
• turning around in a full circle and finding an exit; 
• swimming 25 yards to an exit; and exiting from the water; 
• if in a pool, exit without using a ladder.

Learn more at the Red Cross website.