Rapids Water Park in Palm Beach County hosted the world’s largest swimming lesson, aiming to prevent child drownings and teach children essential swimming skills. The event is especially timely, as five fatal child drownings have occurred across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast in the past two months.

Swim Safety Importance

Elliot Russell, director of marketing at Rapids Water Park, explained the significance of holding the event during this time of year. “July Fourth around the U.S. is one of the times where we see a lot of water safety incidents, so this is a really great time to start this conversation and get parents really involved in this as well,” Russell said.

Swim instructors taught approximately 50 to 55 children, ranging in age from 4 to 13 years old, during the lessons. Stephen Alvar, a parent who brought his two daughters to the event, shared his thoughts on the importance of swim safety. “I think, especially in Florida, you got a lot of pools and water around, so I think it’s super important for these kids to get the knowledge and foundation to be comfortable in water,” Alvar said.

Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.