WATERTOWN, Conn. — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection held a press conference at Black Rock State Park on Wednesday to promote swimming safely ahead of the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, according to a release from DEEP.
DEEP Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumble was joined by Stew Leonard, Jr., president and CEO of the regional supermarket chain Stew Leonard’s and co-founder of the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation. Officials from the Greater Waterbury YMCA also attended, the release said.
At the state park on Wednesday, DEEP lifeguards conducted a water safety demonstration with children from the Greater Waterbury YMCA.
According to DEEP, every year, tragic and preventable deaths happen in swimming pools, lakes, rivers or on the shoreline. However, swimmers of all ages can enjoy the water confidently and safely if they follow swimming safety recommendations and learn how to swim properly.
To enable more people to enjoy the outdoor recreation Connecticut has to offer, the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation and DEEP have partnered with the YMCA and other organizations to offer free swim lessons to qualifying and undeserved children around the state, DEEP said.
The release notes that drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages one to four, although it is preventable. Children who receive swim lessons are 88% less likely to drown, according to DEEP.
DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in the release that the department is proud to join the Stew Leonard Water Safety Foundation and Greater Waterbury YMCA to promote the importance of water safety, especially in the days leading up to the Fourth of July holiday as more people head to swimming pools, lakes, rivers or the Connecticut shoreline.
“Swimming is an essential skill that every person should have the opportunity to learn,” Dykes said in the release. “DEEP has been proud to partner with the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club of New Britain and the Connecticut Institute for Communities, Inc. to provide free swim lessons to thousands of children around the state. I urge everyone considering getting in the water this summer to know their limits and heed safe swimming guidance.”
Stew Leonard, Jr. said he lost his 21-month-old son Stewie to a drowning accident in 1989 during a family gathering.
“It wasn’t a lack of supervision, but a LAPSE of supervision,” Leonard, Jr. said, in the release. “Sign up your kids for swim lessons to learn lifesaving water skills and always assign an adult to watch children when they are near the water, and put your phones down! When everyone is watching, no one is watching.”
Jim O’Rourke, CEO of the Greater Waterbury YMCA, said in the release that the collaboration with DEEP has allowed more than 4,000 children in Connecticut to gain access to swim lessons.
“Learning to swim is a vital life-saving skill,” O’Rourke said, in the release.
DEEP’s partnership with the YMCAs, Boys & Girls Club of New Britain and Connecticut Institute for Communities to offer free swim lessons to qualified children in the state is funded by more than $1 million authorization from the Lamont Administration and Connecticut State Legislature using ARPA funds, the release said.
According to DEEP, the YMCA of Greater Waterbury leads a program with 14 YMCAs in the state that has provided over 3,900 swimming lessons to 3,229 participants. All the while, the Connecticut Institute for Communities has provided lessons to 420 participants in the greater Danbury area as of June 2024.
The Boys & Girls Club of New Britain has also provided lessons to 608 children in New Britain, Hartford and Meriden. Together, the three programs combined have had 4,257 participants and held nearly 5,000 lessons, according to DEEP. All three partners continue to offer swimming lessons to eligible participants.
Since its establishment in 1990, the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation has raised $6 million, supporting approximately 250,000 free and low-cost swimming lessons for undeserved children. It has also helped train thousands of lifeguards in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, DEEP said.
In Connecticut, the foundation supports 18 learn-to-swim programs that will teach more than 1,500 local children to swim in 2024. DEEP said the Stewie the Duck Swim School gives out 10,000 lessons a year, and all proceeds from the school go towards teaching children in need to swim for free.
RELATED: Naugatuck State Forest under temporary alcohol ban imposed by DEEP for state recreation areas
On Wednesday, those who spoke recommended all residents recreating in or near the water prioritize safety, which can start with a swim lesson. DEEP said people of all ages should consider signing up for a swimming class at a local YMCA, municipal park or recreation department.
When swimming, DEEP encourages parents and caregivers to watch their children because drowning is quick and silent; stay within arm’s reach of children in the water.
Additionally, drink responsibly because excessive alcohol consumption impairs judgement and reaction ability. DEEP said to swim sober because even prescription drugs may impair judgement.
Also, swim only in designated areas and swim with a buddy if possible. Knowing your limits is also important, including being aware of your physical fitness and medical conditions.
Children, inexperienced swimmers and all boaters should wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. Lastly, be aware of underwater hazards. Natural swimming areas can have sudden drop-offs, holes, large rocks or tree roots that can’t be easily seen from the surface, so diving and jumping into water can be dangerous if you don’t know what’s below.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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