COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- With day after day of triple digit heat, staying hydrated and cool becomes more important.  In the Palmetto State, people are turning to the natural bodies of water for a way to beat Mother Nature’s summer pounding.  To ensure that people enjoy the water safely, Columbia officials have announced registration for free water safety courses offered by the City’s parks and recreation department.

The sessions will begin in August at various locations throughout the City.  City organizers say they originally started the water safety survival program to prevent drowning among youth, but have since expanded the instruction to adults.

Additionally, The American Red Cross is partnering with Colonial Life Insurance to provide CPR instructions and distribute information about its services.

For more information on the water safety program, click HERE.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)