Child Water Safety and Survival School Encourages Children to be Safe In and Around the Water.
On average, 3,533 people die as a result of drowning each year and most of those deaths are children under the age of four in backyard swimming pools. The best way to prevent drownings is to learn not only swim skills, but to develop survival skills. With May serving as National Water Safety Month, British Swim School, the pioneer of a non-traditional infant water safety program that provides gentle and fun teaching methods, is encouraging parents to not be fearful of the water but instead equip children with the skills to safely enjoy water playtime.
The more confident a child is around the water, the less likely an incident will be to occur but regardless, accidents do still happen and it is vital that parents heed the following tips leading into the warmer summer months:
1) Adult supervision: Appoint a designated “Water Watcher” to monitor children during social gatherings at or anywhere near pools. Always maintain visual contact. Use the buddy system when necessary.
2) Don’t depend on floaties or inflatable toys: Parents should be fully aware that flotation devices are not a substitute for supervision.
3) Be prepared: Keep rescue equipment poolside. Don’t wait for the paramedics to arrive because you will lose valuable lifesaving seconds. Knowing CPR ahead of time can save lives!
4) Start them young: Teach children water safety and swimming skills as early as possible so they have the best chance to survive a water accident. Even babies can learn how to flip on their back.
5) Protect the pool space: Do not leave chairs or other items of furniture where a child could use them to climb into a fenced pool area.
“We cannot stress enough the importance of parental supervision when children are around the water,” said Rita Goldberg, founder of British Swim School. “All too common is the story of one parent thinking that the other had eyes on the child. Our mission is not only to provide quality and innovative water survival skills to children nationwide but also to teach parents and family members to be responsible water watchers.”
At British Swim School, each child, regardless of age, is placed in their correct skill level and will have certain achievable objectives that must be reached before moving onto the next. The children learn survival skills first and only when those skills are completely mastered do they begin learning the swim strokes.
“We focus on survival skills before anything else because, in the end, that’s what truly counts,” Goldberg continued. “We make the lessons enjoyable for the children but still keep the focus on skills that could save their life in the event of an emergency.”
In response to the growing demand for water safety incentives, British Swim School launched a strong system-wide initiative in 2015 that focuses on instilling responsibility around the water. When a parent, child or family member is holding a Water Watchers badge, it is their duty to be diligently surveilling the pool. The pass not only gives children a sense of accountability, but it ensures that someone has their eye on the water at all times.
British Swim School is the first and largest concept of its kind to have created a unique water safety program with teaching methods that serve as a trademark for the brand alone. Instructors are dedicated to teaching water safety techniques in a gentle, fun, but highly successful way. The franchise operates lessons out of multiple national fitness chains and hotel pools year round and, based on the premise that children progress at different rates, does not run on “set courses” but rather on the level that best matches their comfort and ability in the water.
Related links:
National Water Safety Month
Take the Water Safety Pledge
Get your free poolside lanyard!