The state Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday that YMCAs throughout the state are offering free swimming lessons this summer at their facilities and at six state parks as part of a cooperative initiative with the DEP and the Department of Children and Families.

One of the six state parks is Rocky Neck in Niantic. The other southeastern Connecticut site offering free lessons through the program is the Valley Shore YMCA in Westbrook.

The lessons are part of a "Have a Safe Summer" campaign announced recently by Gov. M. Jodi Rell, DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy and acting DCF Commissioner Susan I. Hamilton.

Details on the free lessons, which will serve approximately 2,500 children, are on the Web site. Information on a variety of other water safety programs and swimming lessons can be found at the DEP Web site, www.ct.gov/dep.

The lessons are part of a broader summer safety campaign DCF is sponsoring that includes extensive radio advertising and the Web site www.haveasafesummer.com, which offers a variety of information on keeping children safe this summer.

For information and to register for the lessons at Rocky Neck, which will take place 9-11 a.m. July 9-13, call 889-7349. For the Valley Shore YMCA lessons, call 399-9622.

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