Water safety training effort hits goal
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A collaborative effort among Eli Lilly and Co., Indiana Sports Corp, USA Swimming and other organizations has reached its goal of training 50,000 Hoosiers to be water safe.
The Swim IN Safety program was launched in 2022 to teach water safety to Indiana residents ages 5 and older. A legacy initiative of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials this past summer at Lucas Oil Stadium, the program taught skills such as self-rescue, basic swimming and confidence around water.
“We are thrilled to have reached our goal with the Swim IN Safety program,” Indiana Sports Corp President Patrick Talty said in a news release. “Our mission at Indiana Sports Corp includes providing a positive impact in our community with each event we host and what better way to make an impact than by teaching 50,000 Hoosiers a lifelong skill that could potentially save their lives.”
A host of organizations contributed to the effort, including the local organizing committee of the June 15-23 swimming trials and the Indy Aquatic Alliance, a partnership among Indy Parks, Indianapolis Public Schools, the Jewish Community Center, the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis and others.
“Swim In Safety’s achievement of training 50,000 Hoosiers in water safety is a testament to the power of collaboration in the swimming community,” Joel Shinofield, managing director of sport development at USA Swimming, said. “Teaching essential self-rescue and swimming skills not only reduces the risk of drowning but also empowers individuals to feel confident and safe around water. We are proud to have been part of this incredible initiative, which leaves a legacy of safety and education for future generations.”
The program focused on recruiting organizations to teach water safety and providing them the resources to do so. The classes included five 40-minute sessions to train participants on how to save themselves if they fall in water.
A 2023 report by the Indiana Department of Health noted that drowning is the leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 to 4 and that each day in the U.S. 11 people die of drowning.
From 2018 through 2021, 216 drowning deaths occurred in Indiana, the report said. Most (34) were people ages 29 to 37, followed by people between 1 and 10 (33).