GETTING INTO THE SWIM OF THINGS: LOCAL PROGRAM ACCLIMATES CHILDREN TO WATER

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control says 1,003 youngsters under 15 died in the United States last year by drowning in swimming pools. None of the deaths occurred in Cape Girardeau.

In fact, Cape Girardeau police Lt. Carl Kinnison said he can't remember the last child's swimming pool death in Cape Girardeau. Southeast Missourian records don't show a child drowning in a swimming pool for at least the past 10 years.

A local Learn to Swim program hopes to keep it that way.

The Cape Girardeau Kiwanis Club and American Red Cross are winding down the summer swim program and preparing for fall lessons, which begin in October. Seven levels of instruction help swimmers of all abilities develop and refine their skills, especially children. Drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related deaths of children.

Instruction begins as young as 6 months to help children become comfortable around the water.

Red Cross-licensed water safety instructors teach different swimming strokes as well as a variety of personal safety skills and diving techniques. But the first goal is to teach children not to panic in the water.

Wednesday an instructor led a group of youngsters to the deep end of Capaha Pool. Clad in orange life vests, they each jumped into water that was several feet above their heads.

Once in the water, they learned to float on their backs in the fetal position -- an international signal of distress.

Swimming instructors Andrew and Aaron Ulrich have been teaching for six summers. The twin brothers have been spending their summers at the pool since they were in first grade. They are now juniors at Southeast Missouri State University.

Their sister, Leah, is also an instructor.

The biggest barrier for most children to overcome is the natural aversion of putting their face in the water. To overcome the fear, instructors spend several lessons on "blowing bubbles." One of the main goals of the first-level class is to get a child to fully submerge his or her face for three seconds.

"Everybody should learn to do it," said Cindy Farrow, director of Trinity Lutheran's day-care center.

In addition to her own children, Farrow has been taking children from the day care to swimming lessons for years, passing on a tradition she learned as a girl.

"I used to be brought out here every morning," Farrow said. "I remember being out here at 8 a.m. with purple lips."

Levels of instruction

* Water exploration

* Primary skills

* Stroke readiness

* Stroke development

* Stroke refinement

* Stroke proficiency

* Advanced skills

Source: American Red Cross