Twin Cities Camp Aims To Teach Kids Potentially Life-Saving Water Skills

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Some Twin Cities kids hit the pool Tuesday to learn the about water safety. The program is being held with help from the foundation "Abbey's Hope."

Abigail Taylor died in 2008 after suffering a devastating injury in a wading pool. The foundation is now working with the Boys & Girls Club to help kids learn how to stay safe in water.

At Zac Camp, many of the kids have little to no experience in the water. It's the second year of the program here in the Twin Cities -- a camp that is the result of foundations formed after tragedy.

"The founders had incidences where the children died as a result of a drain entrampment in a pool," Diana Adamson of the Boys & Girls Club said. "So they have these foundations to help -- they don't want to have this situation happen to any other families."

The Zac Foundation, along with Abbey's Hope and the Boys & Girls Club, aim to get less experienced kids comfortable in the water through the four-day camp.

"Most of our kids are not exposed to water situations -- most of them do not know how to swim," Adamson said. "A lot of their families don't know how to swim."

Zac Camp isn't just about teaching kids how to swim -- it's also about what to do if you fall in the water, and how not to drown.

Eight-year-old Jackarian is learning how to swim for the first time. He's learning the basics...

"You have to be with an adult at all times," he said. "And don't stay under water for over 30 seconds and stay away from the drains."

And he's got it down -- The ABCD's. "A" is for having an adult present, "B" is for barriers around the pool, "C" is for taking classes, and "D," of course, is to stay away from the drains.

Besides swimming, Zac Campers also learn more about water safety with first repsponders from Ramsey County Sheriff's Department. Zac Camp began Monday and wraps up Thursday.