An Indiana legislative committee is recommending that the state legislature require school districts to include water safety in the curriculum at public schools.
The Public Health Study Committee heard from, among other water safety advocates, Dave Benjamin, co-founder of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.
“A water safety school curriculum would be the fastest approach to reach the largest audience in the shortest amount of time that would have the maximum impact, as well as the most cost-effective avenue to take.”
Benjamin noted that the World Health Organization has called drowning “a neglected public health issue.”
Benjamin, himself, had a near-drowning experience while winter surfing in Lake Michigan.
“Water safety is not common sense,” he said.
State Senator Mark Spencer, Democrat from Gary, has legislation that would require schools to show K-12 students water safety videos.
“A modest step,” he said, “that costs very little, but the lives saved is immeasurable.”
Benjamin’s organization has conducted more than 1,300 trainings and presentations that include a “safety pop quiz.”
He said everybody knows “stop, drop and roll,” if their clothes catch on fire, or to call 911 if there’s an emergency.
When he asks, ‘what do you do if you’re drowning?’ he says people are silent.
His organization says people need to understand “flip, float and follow.”
If a person is struggling, they should flip over on their back, calm themselves, float, and then follow a safe path out of the water.