Lawmakers, community groups aim to end drowning deaths through swimming lessons

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - So far this summer, at least 25 people have died in water-related accidents across the state of Minnesota. It’s a heartbreaking trend that both lawmakers and community groups are looking to put a stop to.

State Senator Mike Goggin, R-Red Wing, is pushing to get a new $220,000 water safety grant program in the state budget.

"I want to make sure all of our kids have the opportunity to get swim lessons, so they know how to take care of themselves in the water," said Goggin.

Nonprofit organizations, city and county parks and recreation programs can apply for the grant money to provide swimming lessons to kids. Eligible groups can also use the money to hire and train lifeguards.

"Ultimately, that’s our goal. We want people to enjoy their swimming activities, but also to be able to do it safely and know how to swim," said Goggin.

Five of the drowning deaths this summer have been children, with one 12-year-old boy dying at North Commons Park.

"There’s a dearth of places like this. There isn’t really a place where anybody can swim around and learn how to swim," said Erika Binger, V-3 Founder and Executive Director.

It’s that lack of access that inspired the V-3 Center, a proposed community fitness facility that would provide swimming lessons for all ages.

It will house two pools, one of which was used recently in the Olympic swimming trials.

"If parents don’t know how to swim, there’s only a 19% chance that their children will learn how to swim. In a community where 70% of Black people don’t know how to swim, that leaves very few children knowing how to swim," said Binger.

Right now, the other pool is still in warehouse boxes, but inside of them lies something pretty powerful.

"It’s about teaching people how to save their own lives. We won’t save their lives, but we will provide the space for them to learn how to save their life," said Malik Rucker, V-3 Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships.

The water safety grant bill is expected to be a part of the omnibus budget bill. State legislators are currently hashing out the details in a special session.

As for the V-3 Center, they still need about $4 million in funding and hope to break ground on the project sometime this year.

You can learn more about the proposed center by clicking here.