JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Early Wednesday morning, 7-year-old Chace Brown disappeared from his Northside home. Following a search, the young boy, who was autistic, was found dead in a nearby retention pond. His family confirmed he drowned.
“Drowning is not a loud thing. It’s very silent often, and it happens very quickly,” said Casey Del Prete, General Manager at Swim Safari. Places like Swim Safari that help teach kids to swim highlight a critical safety issue.
Florida provides free swimming vouchers for low-income families with annual household income of no more than 200% of the federal poverty level.
To combat drowning risks, Florida updated its free swimming lesson voucher program on July 1, expanding eligibility from children ages 1 through 4 to children ages 1 through 7.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Under the updated rules, low-income families can receive vouchers that fully cover eight free swimming lessons.
At local pools like Swim Safari, instructors guide young children through basic paddling and water skills to build early confidence.
“The foundation for learning how to swim can start as young as six months. But it’s important to learn how to swim at any phase and at any time,” said Del Prete.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
He added that having access to quality swim lessons is vital regardless of a family’s socioeconomic status. They also have a discount and some vouchers to help families afford swimming lessons.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
While every child learns at a different pace, water safety advocates emphasize that building consistent, life-saving skills over time is the most effective way to prevent future tragedies.
State vouchers must be used 180 days after getting them and is good for 8 lessons.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
