May is National Water Safety Month and the Door County YMCA wants to help you keep your kids safe around water this swimming season.  Aquatics Director Nicole Shepard says drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in children under 14 years of age and that on average, three children die from drowning in the United States every day.  She says there are many ways for parents to keep their children safer, including keeping their eyes on their children at all times and making sure kids ask permission before entering or going near the water.

Shepard notes that the Door County YMCA offers a Safety Around Water Program, in addition, to swim lessons for various ages and skill levels.  The YMCA also recommends non-swimmers wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when in and around the water.  All YMCA staff is certified in CPR every two years using newly donated, state-of-the-art mannequins called “Big Red.” The mannequins have a red light indicating when the appropriate pressure and speed is correctly applied in the CPR simulation.