The Need for Aquatic Proficiency/Swim Instruction in Gaston County:

• According to the Center for Disease Control, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional death for children between the ages of 1 and 4 in the United States and is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in children ages 1-14.
• For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning.

The CDC also reports that in the U.S., on average, 3,536 people have died from drowning annually since 2005, which equates to approximately 10 deaths each day.

• According to a Gallup Poll, 68 percent of Americans are afraid of deep, open water, while 32 percent fear putting their head beneath water and 46 percent fear the deep end of pools.
• A recent study commissioned by the USA Swimming Foundation found that if a parent does not know how to swim, there is only a 13 percent likelihood that his/her child will learn. The same study found that in the United States, 68 percent of African-American children, 56 percent of Hispanic children and 48 percent of Caucasian children do not know how to swim.