Lifeguards offering water safety classes at Indy pools

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Lifeguards will be offering free water safety classes at pools around Indianapolis starting Wednesday.

Families can bring kids to learn about staying safe in and around the water. Indy Parks and the USA Swimming Foundation are partnering for the Make-a-Splash swim program. It teaches kids safety in and around water during a free 30 minute class.

The Centers for Disease Control say drowning is the ninth leading cause of death in children age 14 and under.

Indy Parks says these classes should not be in place of actual swim lessons but the classes will still provide helpful information.

The program comes just weeks after a young boy drowned on the northeast side of Indianapolis after falling into a pool. Firefighters say the boy did not know how to swim and by the time someone noticed him in the pool it was too late.

Organizers of the swim safety classes hope the next three days will help prevent a tragedy like that from happening again.

There are about 20 locations with lessons starting Wednesday.

The presentation will begin at 11 a.m. each of the three days at these pools:

• Broad Ripple Park – 327-7333 -1450 Broad Ripple Avenue
• Eagle Creek Park* – 327-7132 – 7602 Eagle Beach Drive (*Open Water)
• Ellenberger Park – 327-7176 – 5301 E. St. Clair Street
• Garfield Park – 327-7327 – 2345 Pagoda Drive
• Martin Luther King Jr. Park – 327-7332 – 1701 Broadway Street
• Northwestway Park – 327-7341 – 5253 W. 62nd Street
• Perry Park – 889-0825 – 451 E. Stop 11 Road
• Sahm Park – 849-2227 – 6801 E. 91st Street

The presentation will begin at noon each of the three days at these pools:

• Bethel Park – 327-7480 – 2850 Bethel Avenue
• Brookside Park – 327-7331 – 3510 Brookside Pkwy. S.Drive
• Gustafson Park – 327-7334 – 3110 Moeller Road
• Indy Island – 862-6876 – 8575 E. Raymond Street
• Krannert Park – 327-7389 – 605 S. High School Road
• Riverside Park – 327-7272 – 2420 E. Riverside Drive
• Thatcher Park – 327-7390 – 4649 W. Vermont Street
• Willard Park – 327-7330 – 1700 E. Washington Street

The presentation will begin at 1 p.m.each of the three days at these pools:

• Rhodius Park – 327-7328 – 1720 W. Wilkins Street
• Douglass Park – 327-7325 – 2759 Andrew J. Brown Avenue