b'swimming Safety comes first around waterSwimming is a great activity for exercise and fun. But its important to learn to swim to be safe in and around the water, says Akida Neely, a coach with the legendary Philadelphia Department of Recreation (PDR) swim team.Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental injury death in the children ages 5 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is important for everyone to know that water accidents can happen quickly and quietly.Mrs. Neely urges people to follow several rules to stay safe:Never swimObey the rulesMake sure aListen to the alone. and regulationslifeguard is onlifeguard.at the pool,duty.beach, or lake.You can protect yourself and others by practicing proper water safety any time you are around a body of water, Mrs. Neely says.She says there are many learn-to-swim programs across Philadelphia and its suburbs, from the YMCA to the Salvation Army Philadelphia Kroc Center. You can also find classes through the Red Cross or the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation. By Russell Byers Healthy Knight News staffDID YOU KNOW?The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you stay out of the water if you are sick or have an open cut or injury. You should take a quick shower to rinse off germs before getting in a public pool. And you should be mindful of those around you, particularly younger kids who might not be strong swimmers.Page 15 illustrations by Amelia Mathew, 7th grade, MaST Community Charter Healthy Panther Post (top) | Jaxon Wolf, 7th grade, MaST Community Charter Healthy Panther Post (bottom right)S p r i n g 2 0 2 4 | H E A L T H Y N E W S W O R K S . O R G15'