YMCA promotes swim safety services on World Drowning Prevention Day

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The YMCA of Greater New York is doing their part to prevent drownings, by offering services that promote swim safety. "The drowning rates in the U.S. are staggering," said Mary O'Donoghue, senior director of Aquatics for the YMCA of Greater New York. O'Donoghue says that over 4,000 drownings occur each year. In order to help reduce those numbers, the YMCA provides swim lessons and summer camp swimming at a reduced price with a membership. It also has family rec swimming available, too. Each initiative is meant to teach kids and adults how to swim along with water safety. "Everybody you know says I can swim, but how can you swim? It's a lot different swimming in a pool than it is in a lake, a canal, a river or a water front," said O'Donoghue She tells News 12 that the YMCA has received funding that will allow them to bring swim lessons to schools during the school year. It will be aimed to help mostly second graders with the goal to expand to other grades. It also has a funded lifeguard training program that is free to its participants and provides them with a national certification. The World Health Organization recognizes July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day. Its theme is "Anyone can drown, no one should." "