As National Water Safety Month unfolds, the collaboration between four-time Olympic swimming medalist Cullen Jones and a leading pool care retailer marks a pivotal moment in water safety advocacy. Their partnership aims to equip pool owners and parents with comprehensive strategies and resources to ensure a safe and enjoyable swim season in 2024.
Cullen Jones’s journey towards becoming a vocal advocate for water safety traces back to a harrowing childhood experience. At the age of five, during a family vacation in Pennsylvania, Jones nearly drowned at a water park. This traumatic incident could have discouraged him from water-related activities, but his parents took a proactive approach. Instead of keeping him away from water, they enrolled him in swimming lessons, a decision that not only saved his life but also laid the foundation for his illustrious swimming career.
Today, Jones is not only celebrated for his four Olympic swimming medals but also revered as a passionate advocate for swimming lessons and water safety education. His partnership with a leading pool care retailer underscores the shared commitment to promoting water safety on a national scale.
The collaboration’s core message revolves around three fundamental pillars of water safety: maintaining optimal pool water conditions, ensuring a secure pool environment, and encouraging comprehensive swimming lessons and water safety education. While formal swimming lessons significantly reduce the risk of drowning, additional precautions by pool owners and vigilant supervision are essential components of a safe swimming environment.
A recent survey commissioned by the pool care retailer, conducted by The Harris Poll, sheds light on concerning statistics regarding water safety awareness. Alarmingly, nearly half of parents with children under 18 admit that their child cannot swim, and a significant percentage have never enrolled their children in swimming lessons. These findings underscore the urgent need for enhanced water safety education and initiatives.
Jones emphasizes the transformative impact of early exposure to water and professional swim instruction. He advocates for starting infants’ water acclimation as early as six months old and enrolling children in accredited swim programs. Additionally, he stresses the importance of using U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets and maintaining dedicated, undistracted supervision during water activities to prevent accidents and ensure a safe experience for all.
In a proactive move to support water safety initiatives, the pool care retailer is launching fundraising efforts in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the American Red Cross. Customer donations will contribute to learn-to-swim programs and water safety education, furthering the mission of preventing drownings and promoting water safety nationwide.
Cullen Jones’s personal journey from a near-drowning incident to becoming a champion swimmer and water safety advocate exemplifies the transformative power of water safety education. Through partnerships, advocacy, and community initiatives, the collaboration between Jones and the pool care retailer aims to save lives and create a safer aquatic environment for generations to come.
Parent Guidelines for Water Safety:
- Start early by getting infants into the water as early as 6 months old.
- Enroll children in professional swim instruction programs.
- Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets for added safety.
- Keep playtime separate from learning, designating times for swim lessons and practice.
- Always have dedicated, undistracted supervision when children are in the water.
