To protect the city’s youngest residents, Sunrise is offering free swimming lessons for children, ages 3 and up.

According to a letter issued by Mayor Roger Wishner this month, the measure was triggered by the number of children drowning every year. Reports show 765 US children, ages 14 and under, were drowning victims in 2006, he writes, adding that of that number, 91, or nearly 12 percent, occurred in Florida.

The mayor also asks homeowners to secure their swimming pools and to make sure it’s surrounded by a safety fence at least four-feet high and a self-closing, self-latching gate. He also asks residents living adjacent to a lake to consider fencing their home from the water.

The eight-session, 30-minute free swimming classes are for Sunrise residents only. Registration is only accepted in person at the Sunrise Civic Center. Call 954-747-4636 for more information.