Summer has not even officially started yet, and the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona has tracked 10 drowning deaths across the Valley.
Six of them are children under the age of 6. The advocacy group gets the information from fire departments and hospital emergency rooms all across the state.
"To think about losing your child, and it's one hundred percent preventable, that is a weight you carry around with you for the rest of your life," said Lori Schmidt, a volunteer with the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona.
The group was dedicated to educating parents about the ABC's of water safety.
With "A" standing for adult supervision, "B" for barriers around your pool, and "C" for classes.
Tuesday marks the first day of National Drowning Prevention Month.
Matt Young, General Manager at the Hubbard Family Swim School, said these are tragedies that could happen to anyone within a matter of seconds.
Teri Grub, a mother who almost lost her baby, 11-month-old Stryder to a near-drowning said she never thought it would happen to her.
"He was dead, I mean he had no pulse. They let me crawl up on the gurney with him and hold him in my arms while they were working on him," Grub said.
Drownings can be a silent tragedy, that is why advocates push for adult supervision at all times, and that meant eye to eye contact with your child in the water.
"I always thought that when a child is drowning you hear it, see them splashing around and struggling but it's actually very silent. You can have your child right behind you, and you have no idea that they're drowning," said Randi Zaila, a mother who had all five of her children enrolled at the Hubbard Family Swim School in Phoenix to teach them water safety skills, and what she called "respect for water."
At the Hubbard Family Swim School, anyone with a child from the age of 8-weeks-old to 6-months-old could sign up for free water safety lessons.
"We believe in the water safety aspects of starting your children at a young age. It helps you bond with your child, and it also helps with their brain development," Young said.
There are many recreation centers throughout the Valley that offer free lessons or classes at a reduced cost.
- City of Phoenix Kool Kids Program
- Mesa Making Waves Scholarship
Hubbard Swim School locations across the Valley offer free Baby Splash for 8 weeks through 5 months. They also offer Little Snappers for ages 6 months through 35 months. Find out more by heading here
Hubbard Swim School also offers regular swim open events free to the entire family. Check their site calendar for detailed information on any that may be approaching
City of Peoria: free swimming lessons at select pools
City of Buckeye: free swimming lessons for children and adults
Salvation Army Kroc Center: scholarships for reduced rate swimming lessons for families who qualify
Town of Gilbert: reduced cost swimming lessons for children (registration begins May 1)
The Aqua-Tots Swim School is also taking part in National Drowning Prevention Month activities. These 12 Phoenix-based schools are listed below:
- Chandler: 4040 S. Arizona Ave., #1, Chandler, AZ 85248
- Ahwatukee/Tempe, AZ: 4735 E. Ray Rd., Ste. A0011, Phoenix, AZ 85044
- Central Phoenix, AZ: 7824 N. 12th St., Phoenix, AZ 85020
- North Phoenix: 1930 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Ste. 105, Phoenix, AZ 85027
- Paradise Valley: 12825 N. Tatum Blvd., Ste. A2, Phoenix, AZ 85032
- South Scottsdale: 7624 E. Indian School Rd., Ste. #107, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
- Scottsdale: 15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste. 140, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
- Peoria: 21505 N. 78th Ave., Peoria, AZ 85382
- Mesa: 1122 S. Greenfield Rd., Mesa, AZ 85206
- Gilbert: 2335 S. Lindsay Rd., Gilbert, AZ 85295
- Surprise: 13833 W. Bell Rd., Ste. 104, Surprise, AZ 85374
- Queen Creek: 21365 S. Ellsworth Rd., Ste. 101, Queen Creek, AZ 85142
