USA Swimming and Phillips 66 Wednesday unveiled a new partnership focused on water safety called Saving Lives is Always in Season. This initiative will increase access to learn-to-swim programs as part of a nationwide effort to increase drowning prevention.
Spearheading the effort on the USA Swimming side is Olympian and television commentator Rowdy Gaines, the organization’s director of community engagement. USA Swimming Foundation Ambassadors Cullen Jones, Missy Franklin and Elizabeth Beisel are also involved, expanding on their ongoing individual efforts in the area of water safety and access to safe swimming opportunities.
“Ensuring children have access to swim lessons doesn’t disappear when summer ends. Learn-to-swim programs teach essential life-saving skills that should be available year-round,” Gaines said in a press release. “These programs help keep kids safe in and around the water as research shows that teaching a child to swim can reduce their drowning risk by 88 percent. USA Swimming is proud to partner with Phillips 66 to raise awareness about drowning prevention and engage parents and policymakers across the nation in this important conversation about water safety.”
The Saving Lives is Always in Season campaign kicks off Thursday with a virtual event at 5 p.m. EDT with all four ambassadors. The webinar is free and open to the public with pre-registration, and will include an interactive discussion. The campaign will run through the end of October with other events and resources.
“Safety is at the center of Phillips 66’s operations and culture,” said Claudia Kreisle, Director of Social Impact for Phillips 66. “We recognize the increase in drowning rates since the beginning of the pandemic and have stayed committed with our support to the USA Swimming Foundation to raise awareness around water safety and teach children to swim.”