Fish Tails Swim School

Swimming is..
☑️ an exciting sport
☑️ a fun pastime
☑️ good exercise
☑️ healthy for the mind
☑️ a nice after school activity

Yes, all of these are true, but most importantly, swimming is a CRITICAL SURVIVAL SKILL.

As we enter Memorial Day weekend, we are forever thankful for the courage and sacrifice of so many for this country. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Fish Tails will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. As you barbecue and enjoy the outdoors this weekend, we encourage you to stay vigilant around water!

23% of child drownings happen during a family gathering near a pool (like Memorial Day weekend!!) and most drownings for children ages 1-4 occur in swimming pools or hot tubs.

So let's talk POOL SAFETY.

🔹 Install a 4-sided fence around the pool and properly latch the gate EVERY time you finish swimming

🔹 Have rips, tears, and malfunctioning locks on pool fences repaired immediately (if you need a local contact, let us know)

🔹 Teach children to always ask before entering the water

🔹 Constant supervision while children are swimming

🔹 Teach children to never swim near pool drains, skimmers, or other suction points

🔹 Avoid large inflatable rafts and toys as they often trap children beneath and hide swimmers in distress

🔹 Remove all toys from the pool after to reduce the temptation for curious kids to get back to the pool unattended

🔹 Ensure pool water is being tested regularly

A term you'll often hear in conversations about is this concept of "Layers of Protection."

In a state like Florida and a community like the Treasure Coast, water is everywhere. EVERYWHERE!💧There is no single safeguard to prevent all drownings. We must implement as many layers of protection as possible to give our children the safest environment we can.

This visual gives a big-picture look at the various layers of protection that help prevent childhood drownings:

👀 ADULT SUPERVISION: There is no substitute

➕TRAINED ADULTS: Learn the basics of First Aid and CPR; know the physical address of your location in case of an emergency; become a strong swimmer yourself

❌ BARRIERS: Utilize pool fences, safety alarms on a pools and doors, and self closing/latching gates; check for missing or broken pool drain covers; keep furniture away from pool fences so children can't climb over

🩹 SAFETY EQUIPMENT: Pool alarms, lifesaver rings, first aid kits, life jackets (in open water) and other safety equipment add additional layers of protection

🏊 EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN: Teach children to swim early and continue with their training! Talk about water safety, pool rules, what to do in an emergency. Teach children to never swim alone, even as they age.

The more layers you implement, the better protection for you and your loved ones! 💪💦

TOMORROW, May 16th, is Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day! 🦺

📢 This is a great opportunity to raise awareness and start conversations about and boating responsibly, especially as the summer months are upon us.

What should you talk about? You can start with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance's recommendations on when to wear a life jacket:

⛵ Anyone participating in any boating, paddling or towed water sport regardless of swimming ability.

🌊 Inexperienced or non-swimmers in pool or open water situations when other layers of protection are limited.

🖐 Preschool children—those about 5 years and younger—who are not protected by touch supervision either in or near the water. Touch supervision means being within an arm’s reach of the child(ren) at all times.

In addition to life jackets, learning to swim is a vital aspect of water safety. In fact, participation in swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning in children by up to 88%! 🏊

We hope you'll take this opportunity to wear a life jacket tomorrow and please, please tag us on social media so we can follow along!

Today, we celebrate the importance of water safety awareness and education. At Fish Tails Swim School, we're committed to equipping swimmers of all ages with the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe in and around the water.

Join us in spreading awareness and making a splash for safety today!💦

🏊‍♀️ Implement the National Drowning Prevention Alliance's 5 Layers of Protection
📢 Speak up about within your circle of friends and family
💵 Donate to organizations such as to make swim lessons available to all

Statistics show that most drownings of young children do not occur during swim time.

We encourage you to practice as many National Drowning Prevention Alliance's LAYERS OF PROTECTION as possible to prevent children from returning to the pool unattended.

💐 Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms, grandmoms, and stand-in-moms in our Fish Tails family—staff and swim families alike!

Your care, patience, and love inspire us every day—thank you for all you do, in and out of the pool! 💖💐

Mark your calendars NEXT FRIDAY for "Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day."🦺👮👩‍⚕️👨‍🚒👨‍💻👨‍💼👩‍🏫

This is a great campaign to start conversations about water safety and boating responsibly, especially as we head into the summer months.

We hope you'll join us and, of course, we want to see pictures so tag us on social media! 📸

Seconds count. Always check the water first.