MINNEAPOLIS— It was a beautiful day outside, but still worth a swim inside before taking a dip in a lake this summer.
“As someone who enjoys swimming laps, I want to look and feel safe in a pool,” swimmer Katie Wilson told WCCO at Phillips Aquatic Center.
Wilson said she was a competitive swimmer as a student but largely gave up the sport because it had become too expensive.
“Most of the pools are going to be in schools, so as an adult you can’t just go in the middle of the day,” she said. “The other entry points are large gyms, which can cost a few hundred dollars.”
Minnesota, of course, has about 10,000 swimming holes in the summer season, but lakes are larger and deeper than sloughs, and that also makes them more dangerous. There is new research from the CDC also shows a surprising increase in drownings across America since the pandemic.
“I have seen firsthand the effects of drowning: families forced to say goodbye to their loved ones too quickly,” said Debra Houry, CDC Chief Medical Officer. “CDC’s drowning prevention experts have collected high-quality drowning data to better understand how we can protect people in communities across the United States. Understanding the barriers people face in accessing basic swimming and water safety skills training can help us better understand how to address these barriers, reduce drownings and save lives.”
The CDC’s study included the following data:
- From 2020 to 2022, 4,500 people drowned each year in the United States; that’s about 500 more drowning deaths per year compared to 2019.
- Drowning is the leading cause of death among children aged 1 to 4 years.
- The number of drownings among children aged 1 to 4 years has increased by 28% in 2022 compared to 2019.
- Adults age 65 and older had the second highest rate of drowning.
- The number of drownings among adults aged 65 to 74 increased by 19% in 2022 compared to 2019.
- In 2021, drownings among Black people increased by 28% compared to 2019.
- 40 million adults cannot swim.
- More than 1 in 3 black adults (37%) reported not knowing how to swim, compared to 15% of all adults.
- About 2 in 3 black adults (63%) reported never taking swimming lessons.
- About 3 in 4 Hispanic adults (72%) reported never taking swimming lessons.
In Minneapolis, the Park Board will offer swimming lessons for children ages 3 to 17 at five different locations starting June 17. Scholarships are available to help improve access and affordability.
