Red Cross, Milwaukee Fire Dept. offering tips for swimmers in open water

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(CBS 58) – The American Red Cross of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Fire Department are offering water safety tips for families this summer.

The Red Cross has an app for people to use to track swimming progress as well as provide general water safety tips.

The Milwaukee Fire Department says it is especially important for people to watch their children near the water.

"Probably the most important thing is if you are going to go to the beach and being with family members, assigning somebody to the children who don't know how to swim," MFD Lt. Kevin Monaghan said. "Making sure you know where they are at all times."

Monaghan added that it is important for people who aren't strong swimmers to only go as deep as their waists.

Since many swimming pools are closed due to COVID-19, many people are heading to open water which can include other dangers.

"You should watch out for fast moving currents, waves or rapids," Red Cross of Wisconsin Communications Officer Justin Kern said. "Make sure you enter shallow water with caution, those can have big drop offs."

In the last three weeks, three people have drowned near McKinley Beach in Milwaukee.

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