RICHMOND, Va. — As temperatures rise and more families head to the water, safety experts warn that drowning can happen faster and more silently than many people realize.
At Starrfish Infant Aquatics, children as young as 6 months old are taught survival swim — learning how to float, breathe, and recover if they fall in.
"Drowning is the leading cause of death in children 1 to 4," survival swim instructor Katie Trotman said.
For Trotman, becoming an instructor was no accident.
"Nora had a drowning accident at our friend's above ground pool," Trotman said about the June 21, 2020, incident involving her then 2-year-old daughter. "I was terrified. I didn't know her condition the whole ride to the hospital."
Nora was revived after wandering into a pool at a friend's birthday party.
She was pulled from the water with no heartbeat.
Seventeen days later, Nora walked out of the hospital.
That accident led Trotman to teach others what she wishes she had known — that drowning is a quick and silent process, even when adults are nearby.
"It just takes layers upon layers of perfection to prevent drowning," Trotman said.
Experts say those layers include swim skills, barriers, and CPR training, but that no single step can prevent a tragedy.
Erin Loewe, CEO of Starrfish Infant Aquatics, said the focus should be on building genuine water competence before confidence.
"We're looking at competence, teaching water competence before confidence," Loewe said.
For Trotman, every child she teaches represents a chance to prevent another close call.
"It happens to the best parents, and it can happen to anybody, and it's just something that every family needs to think [about]," Trotman said.
Trotman and Loewe also stressed that it is important to sign children up for survival swim lessons even if your family does not have a pool. Click here to sign up your child for lessons.
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