In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a $150 million grant for NY SWIMS, a portion of which would go toward access to safe swimming by providing more lifeguards and swimming instruction.

Lisa Sarto, the water safety instructor at the YMCA in Little Falls for the past 25 years, says knowing how to swim is a life skill.

"Floating on the back is real important, that’s one of the first things that we teach babies, adults and children. They can be tired and they can get on their back and float and catch their breath. Or the little ones, they may be in trouble so they quick roll on their back and they can actually yell for help if they really need it," Sarto said.

Sarto says she works with a lot of kids who live out in the country and aren’t exposed to the water as much.

"What they do is, they find a pond or somewhere, a stream to swim in and then they get into trouble if they don’t know how to swim. So, it’s important that everyone knows how to swim," Sarto said.

As a volunteer for the American Red Cross, Sarto teaches lifeguarding, but says there is a significant shortage as well as water safety instructors.

"These lifeguards, you know, sometimes they’re expensive to take the course, but I always tell them, you’re going to make it back in your first paycheck. It’s so rewarding, knowing that you’re going to be in charge of someone’s life and watching over them and you’re trained with all the skills you need," Sarto said.

Sarto says the goal when her students finish a course is not only learning how to swim, but also safety skills.