Long Island parents are taking the advice of experts, and getting their kids into the water sooner rather than later as the summer season begins.

Experts say that swim lessons are a vital part of keeping kids safe in the water, along with preventative measures such as gates, fences and alarms around backyard pools.

Just last week, Suffolk County officials announced that drownings had increased 60% in 2024 over the year before.

Doctors who News 12 spoke with say getting children comfortable in the water and giving them the knowledge of what to do if they find themselves in trouble can make a big difference in avoiding potentially dangerous situations.