The ABCs of water safety saves lives

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five people who die from drownings is children fourteen and younger.

This is why it's important to teach children from a young age about water safety.

Yuma Mobile Swim is essentially the Uber of swim lessons where instructors like Jacqueline Follmuth, bring her teaching moments to the backyards of her customers.

However, since her business has been deemed un-essential during the coronavirus pandemic, she hasn't been able to begin her teaching. Normally during the transition to summer is when people typically begin enrolling their young ones into swim lessons.

Follmuth said that children one-year-old and older are less likely to drown if they've had any type of swim lesson that's helped teach them water safety in the process. Which is why she is still pushing for parents to take it upon themselves to teach their children since she physically can't.

She urges for parents to start with the ABC's of water safety.

A is for adult supervision. Being sure that an adult is fully aware of what is going on and has no means of distractions.

B is for barriers. Arizona law requires that homes with a pool must be enclosed with a wall barrier at least five feet high, and doesn't have any openings where an object of four inches in diameter can fit through.

C is for classes. Whether it be swimming classes or CPR classes, learning the two can potentially save a life.

Physically teaching a child how to swim isn't something that comes easy and takes plenty of tries.

Follmuth said when she's teaching swim lessons she focuses on getting the child's face in the water to begin blowing bubbles using the mouth and nose. Once a child accomplishes that next is getting the ears under water.

When working with kids, Follmuth advices to make sure the child's hands form a spoon so they get a good cup of water to push through the water. And lastly, teach them how to kick being sure they are straight and long kicks from hips to ankle.

There are more techniques professional instructors use to teach their customers how to swim, and once swim instructors are given the green light to begin teaching again you can start booking classes.