CHICAGO (CBS) — You see them responding to disasters, but the American Red Cross also works tirelessly to prevent tragedies by teaching lifesaving skills, including swimming.
At the Boys and Girls Club of Bridgeport, children ages 5 and up can get free swimming lessons through the Red Cross.
“Everyone should know how to swim,” says Timothy Oldenburg, a strategic account manager with American Red Cross Training Services.
With approximately eleven people drowning every day in the United States, the Red Cross saw a need.
“Drowning can be prevented almost every time if appropriate precautions are taken to supervise your children when they are in and around water,” Oldenburg said.
It’s not just children. Many adults cannot swim, especially in areas with little cover. So it is crucial that all ages are educated about water safety.
That’s why the Red Cross works directly with organizations in those areas, providing step-by-step instructions for learn-to-swim programs; lifeguard lessons; and first aid, CPR and AED training.
“We strategically deployed these resources in communities where drowning rates were the highest,” Oldenburg said.
Cynthia Bedolla is director of water operations for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, and she knows firsthand the value of Red Cross training.
“Working with the Red Cross was the first item on my to-do list,” she said. “I learned to swim through the American Red Cross learn-to-swim program.”
The Red Cross then trained her as a lifeguard and also to train others.
“Slowly over the decades, I have become more and more invested in the American Red Cross curriculum and programs, and they have done a great job of always keeping water safety as the number one priority,” she said.
The partnership has proven successful and Bedolla said it “absolutely” saves lives.
“That’s really our goal, as much as possible, to make these swimming lessons and these programs accessible to everyone, regardless of your background,” Oldenburg.
Accessibility comes in the form of free classes at four neighborhood facilities in Chicago.
“If this program, or if there is one program, can prevent a drowning, then that will alleviate human suffering.”
Back at the pool there is just pure excitement. The children look forward to their time in the pool, learning life-saving skills and making memories along the way.
“They love it,” Bedolla said.
If you don’t have access to a pool, there are dryland classes available on the Red Cross website where you can practice the strokes out of the water in preparation for your next time in the water.
