New Ulm Aquatics and Fitness Coordinator Ben Doeden said the month is a nationwide recognition event, ensuring people are safe in all water areas.

“It’s about promoting the general safety of using pools, outdoor water, home pools, spas, whatever it might be,” he said. “Trying to make sure people know what the best practices are to be safe and make sure those around you are safe in and around water.”

With youth, Doeden said they should get exposed to water until they are comfortable. He said they need to be educated on what’s safe and what’s not in different water situations.

“Wear a life jacket,” Doeden said. “Don’t just bring it along but make sure they use it properly. Always swim with a buddy, make sure that you stay calm. Make sure children are supervised even when lifeguards are present. The first line of defense is always going to be parents.”

A group of training swimmers use floaty boards while swimming to the pool’s edge. New Ulm Aquatics and Fitness Coordinator Ben Doeden said kids should be comfortable in water before going out on the water.

At the New Ulm Rec Center, children under eight years old are not allowed to swim by themselves. Doeden said the rec center offers swimming classes for babies, toddlers, and young children.

Doeden said one misunderstood part of water safety is what it looks like when a kid is drowning. He said they do specific lessons on the different warning signs when they train their lifeguards.

“We talk a lot about how quickly emergencies can arise,” Doeden said. “Often a kid can look like a decent swimmer and it can go from slowing down to barely being able to swim. They can quietly slip under the water. Drowning doesn’t always look like what people think it does.”

Lakes come with their own set of potential dangers. Depth can be a mystery, and cold water tires the muscles faster than warm water.

“Diving in is always an inherent risk,” Doeden said. “You should never dive where you don’t know the depth of something. Make sure you’re aware that getting tired is going to happen. It’s important to take breaks. Protect yourself from the sun and make sure that you stay safe while having fun out there.”

Kids learn how to tread water during their swimming safety class at the New Ulm Rec Center. New Ulm Aquatics and Fitness Coordinator Ben Doeden recommends floaties for younger kids, and lifejackets when out on the lake in a boat fishing.

When it comes to rivers, running water presents risks. Doeden said people should prepare ahead of time by monitoring conditions and wearing floatation devices. With home pools, he said ensuring it’s fenced off or gated is necessary to prevent anyone from falling in accidentally.

With land and water activities like fishing, Doeden said people should prepare for water even if they don’t plan on going in.

“If you’re going to be in a boat, it’s great to have a lifejacket on,” he said. “Even if you’re on the edge, make sure you’re prepared and you can swim. Wear clothes that are going to be safe for you to be able to swim if you were to fall in.”

To ensure safety in New Ulm’s water fixtures, there is staff at every wading pool and the New Ulm Rec Center pool area. Because there’s no standing water, there are no staff at the splash pad.

While the wading pools are not relatively deep, Doeden said it doesn’t take much for there to be a potential drowning risk in small children.

Wading pools like this one are great fun across New Ulm for little kids. While there are staff at these pools, New Ulm Aquatics and Fitness Coordinator Ben Doeden said parents should always be focusing on their kids and ensuring their safety.

“Our wading pools are only about a foot and a half deep at their deepest point,” he said. “Some people think that’s not a danger but a child can drown in under six inches of water.”

Though all of this can make swimming seem like a dangerous affair, Doeden said as long as water and its dangers are respected, swimming is still a fantastic summer activity.

“It’s something that can be very fun, but it needs to be treated with a healthy respect. Be careful and make sure you’re making safe decisions.”

For information on the New Ulm Rec Center swimming lessons, visit https://secure.rec1.com/MN/new-ulm-mn/catalog. For more information on Water Safety Month, visit https://nwsm.phta.org/