(CBS4) MIAMI Florida leads the nation in drowning deaths, with Broward and Miami-Dade counties at the top of the list in children's drownings.

It’s a thought terrifying for any parent but one South Florida mother is using her own child’s close call to help save lives.

Just 9 months ago, 3-year old Jeremy Robinson was in a coma fighting for his life, after nearly drowning at his parents pool.

“You always think this will never happen to me but it only takes one second for him to fall in," Glenda Robinson, Jeremy’s mother, told CBS4’S Marybel Rodriguez.

She went on to say, “he’s a fighter and made it through.”

It was a terrifying ordeal that his mother says could have been prevented.

“Your heart is ripped out of your chest. I could've prevented this as a parent it is my responsibility," said Robinson.

So in order to take responsibility, Glenda and her son are back in the place where little Jeremy almost lost his life, in the pool, but this time he’s learning how to swim and survive in the water.

Jeremy is taking swimming lessons with the Baby Otter Swim School. His instructors say even though Jeremy was petrified on his first day, now he’s doing great and in just five days, he’s learned to turn, kick and reach. It’s something his mother says she wishes her son would have known how to do before he fell into the pool.

“I'm wishing it would've been different it's so easy to teach him how to swim if only I knew it was that simple,” said Jeremy’s mom.

Here are some tips for keeping your pool safe:

•Teach children to swim. Swimming lessons are a lifelong gift that will help children stay safe around water into adulthood and allow them to enjoy water sports and activities to their fullest.
•Don’t assume that children who know how to swim don’t need supervision. Accidents can happen to anyone, no matter what age or swim ability. Even strong adult swimmers should avoid swimming alone.
•There is no substitute for adult supervision. A responsible adult should always watch children during all activities in or near the pool.
•Don’t assume that someone is watching. Just because there are adults present at a gathering or party doesn’t mean they are watching the swimmers. Adults often get caught up in socializing and might not even notice that a child is in trouble until it’s too late. Designate someone to watch the swimmers at all times.
•Don’t rely on flotation devices. “Floaties” or swim aids can’t take the place of supervision. They can shift position, slip off or deflate suddenly, leaving children in a dangerous situation.
•Don’t leave children unattended, even for one minute. Most child drowning incidents occur when an adult “just went in the house to get the phone” or “just walked away for a few seconds.” Keep a phone outside and if you must go in for some reason, take all children out of the pool until you can return.

Remember that just having a pool on your property is a potential drowning hazard, even when there are no swimming activities. Here are some of the biggest steps you can take to keep yourself and your family safe around the pool even when you’re not swimming:

•Block access to pools, spas and other water features in the yard using approved pool barriers. There should be no direct opening from the house into the enclosed pool area, so that the barrier completely separates the pool from the house and the play areas of the yard. Make sure the barrier remains in place when the pool is not in use.
•Remove all toys from the pool and deck area after every use so that children are not attracted to them and tempted to gain access to the pool.
•Keep basic life-saving equipment by the pool and know how to use it. A pole, rope and personal flotation device are recommended.
•Learn CPR and make sure that all residents and caretakers in your home know what to do in case of a pool emergency.
•If a small child is missing in the house, check the pool first, before all other possibilities. Every second counts when it comes to drowning.