Las Vegas NowRecent Drownings Remind Parents to be on Alert
A 2-year-old drown in the family pool earlier this week.LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Three child drownings in the past week have authorities warning parents to be extra vigilant when they children are anywhere near water.
Already this year, there have been double the number of child drownings there were last year. Swim schools tell Eyewitness News that all the headlines surrounding several recent drownings could very well be part of the reason more parents are taking steps to teach their children how to swim.
"Kick kick kick," says the instructor as Maya swims toward the camera and starts to crawl out of the pool. At the Water Wings Swim School on north Durango, falling into the pool is part of the lesson and so is learning how to turn around and swim back to the wall and climb out.
Two-year-old Maya Shafshak was only three months old when she starting taking swim lessons from her father and mother, who own and operate the Water Wings Swim Schools in Las Vegas. The family-owned business specializes in all aspects of child water safety.
Parents gathered at the school say they are heartsick over the recent drownings of young children especially because, they say, every single death could have been prevented.
"It's unfortunate people wait until that happens to teach their own kids how to swim. You need to constantly talk to your kids about water safety, keep your fences locked at all times, make sure your doors leading out to the pool have alarms and that they are set and yes, teach your kids how to swim," said Avi Shafshak, Water Wings owner and instructor.
Swim instructors say children who are old enough to crawl and walk are certainly old enough to learn how to swim. In fact, three months is the recommended age for when a baby should start being introduced to the water.
