JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – May is National Water Safety Month, and the First Coast YMCA is partnering with Farah & Farah to raise awareness of the life-saving resources the YMCA provides related to being safe around bodies of water and learning how to swim.
The Safety Around Water program is an eight-week program that covers a lot of topics to help get children comfortable with being around water.
The First Coast YMCA teaches children of all ages and from all backgrounds that water should be fun, not feared.
Teaching children how to be safe around water is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
The First Coast YMCA offers free swim testing for children and adults at all locations with a pool as a way to ensure all children learn essential water safety skills, which can open up a world of possibilities for them to satisfy their curiosity safely.
Tips from the YMCA: The Y’s Safety Around Water program is the first step in equipping children with essential water safety skills, featuring eight sessions that teach children and adults what to do if they find themselves in water accidentally. Here are some features that help set these sessions apart from traditional swim lessons:
- Begin with Basics: Sessions start by focusing on basic skills to move on top and under the water. This includes floating, blowing bubbles, submerging face and body, jumping into the water and resurfacing, swimming on front, swimming on back and treading water.
- Jump, Push, Turn, Grab: Children will learn this specific technique, which includes pushing off the bottom of the pool as you are submerging to get back up to the surface while turning to grab the side of the pool.
- Swim, Float, Swim: Kids will also learn how to swim a short distance on your front, roll over to your back to rest, and then roll on your front to continue swimming to safety.
- Reach or Throw, Don’t Go: To prepare for a situation where someone else may be at risk of drowning, kids will learn the concepts of this technique. This includes the importance of reaching for them without jumping in, throwing in floatation devices and not attempting to rescue the person by jumping in the water.
- More Safety Tips: Sessions also include additional must-have water safety skills for children and adults alike, including:
- CPR and what to look for in a safe place to swim
- What to do if you see someone in the water who needs help
While the Y’s Safety Around Water program focuses on serious, technical skills to help reduce risk of drowning, the program also weaves in fun activities to reinforce these skills to empower participants
Interested in learning more? Find your local Y to get more information about a Safety Around Water program near you.