Over the past week, Red Cross volunteers in central and southern Illinois responded to five home fires, providing support to 17 people across Taylorville, Farmer City, Benton, Decatur, and Nashville. These incidents are among the more than 60,000 disasters the Red Cross addresses each year nationwide. In each case, volunteers assisted with immediate needs, including emergency supplies, shelter, health and mental health services, and personalized support.

As May marks Water Safety Month, the American Red Cross is encouraging families to prepare for the upcoming summer swim season by learning essential water safety skills. Research indicates that formal water safety and swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning for children ages one to four by as much as 88%.

Before heading to pools, lakes, and parks, families are urged to review fundamental water safety practices. Mastering Red Cross water safety techniques can enhance confidence and preparedness, and can play a critical role in saving lives during aquatic emergencies.

Each year, more than 2.5 million people participate in Red Cross aquatic programs. These courses are designed using the latest science and best practices in water safety education. Over the past century, these initiatives have contributed to a nearly 90% reduction in accidental drownings across the United States.

The Red Cross emphasizes several core strategies for preventing drowning, including restricting unsupervised access to water, maintaining constant and active supervision by adults, and ensuring all individuals—regardless of age—are equipped with basic swimming skills.

To help promote safer experiences around water, the Red Cross offers four key safety tips:
No one should swim alone—this applies to adults, teens, and children. Never leave a young child unattended near water, and do not rely on another child to supervise.

Designate a "water watcher" whose sole responsibility is to monitor children and weaker swimmers near water, rotating duties with another adult as needed.

Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, but do not rely solely on flotation devices.

In an emergency, use the “reach or throw, don’t go” method—reach out or throw something to help the person in distress without entering the water yourself.

The Red Cross also encourages families to pursue swimming lessons, water safety education, and training in first aid and CPR, to be better prepared to respond in case of an emergency.

For younger audiences, the Red Cross recently updated its Longfellow’s WHALE Tales Water Safety for Children program. This free initiative is designed for children in kindergarten through fifth grade and teaches vital water safety habits without requiring access to a swimming pool. The program offers engaging, age-appropriate lessons tailored to various aquatic settings such as pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Parents, caregivers, educators, and swim instructors can access free resources—including lesson plans, presentations, videos, and activity sheets—at redcross.org/WHALEtales. For general water safety tips for children, visit redcross.org/watersafetyforkids.