In honor of National Water Safety Month, our Co-Founder and CEO Chris McCuiston shared some tips for drowning prevention and pool safety with televised audiences. In the interview segments with local news affiliates, Chris also talked about Goldfish at Home, which helps kids keep up with their swimming skills even outside of the water, as well as our upcoming Instagram Live water safety Q&A with Co-Founder Jenny McCuiston on Wednesday, May 20.

During the interviews, Chris mentioned our Goldfish at Home series on YouTube, where we take kids through swim-inspired exercises to reinforce water safety and swimming techniques until they can get back to their regular lessons. For those viewers fortunate enough to have a home pool, they can also practice these exercises—such as strengthening the grasp reflex, floating on their back, and maintaining swimming muscles—in the water with a parent.

For those who do have an at-home pool, proper safety precautions can help prevent drowning accidents, which is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1-4. Pools should have a fence or barrier around the entire perimeter with a latch high enough to deter children from wandering in. It’s also a good idea to have a door or pool alarm to alert you if anyone is using the pool unsupervised or has fallen in. Store toys out of and away from the water to avoid temptation, and keep flotation and other lifesaving devices near the water so they’re there if you need them.

Chris also reiterated the importance of choosing a swim program that has a full curriculum and certified instructors, like we offer at Goldfish Swim School. Instructors should be certified in lifesaving skills, but they should also understand how to teach critical water safety techniques as a foundation before building to more advanced swimming skills.

Watch Chris on the news, below, and be sure to join us Wednesday, May 20, on Instagram Live for a special water safety Q&A with Jenny.

Want to learn more about our swim school franchise opportunities? Get in touch with us today.

Watch the full interview here