BLOOMINGTON – In preparation for the coming summer months, the Monroe County YMCA hosted free Safety Around Water classes from Monday, March 14 through Thursday, March 17 for kids ages 3-12. The program concluded on March 18 with an open swim for all Safety Around Water participants and their families. Thanks to Commercial Service, the event sponsor, the Monroe County Y was able to serve 75 children with free water safety lessons.
Throughout the week, the Y Aquatics leadership team and instructors taught kids a variety of valuable water skills, like what to do if they find themselves in the water unexpectedly, a situation every child should be equipped to handle. Participants were divided into groups based on their swim ability ranging from beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each child also received a free month of Swim Lessons at the Y at the conclusion of Safety Around Water.
The Monroe County Y wants to ensure that water safety doesn’t get lost in Monroe County’s eagerness to return to a “normal” summer. As temperatures rise, kids want to cool off, whether that is in home pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, or oceans. And that means the risk of drowning is as prevalent as ever.
As part of the Safety Around Water program, the Monroe County Y is encouraging parents and guardians to play an active role in promoting water safety and providing five tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable swimming experience for all.
- Never swim alone or without a water watcher. When children are swimming, make sure they are actively supervised at all times. Teach your children that they should only swim in locations where a lifeguard is on duty, or where a responsible adult agrees to watch the children in the water without distractions.
- Supervise your children whenever they’re in or near water. Whether it’s bath time or taking a dip in a pool or lake, make sure your children are within arm’s reach at all times.
- Don’t engage in breath holding activities. Children should not hold their breath for a prolonged amount of time while swimming, as this can cause drowning and has several other severe physical side-effects.
- Wear a life jacket: Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
- Don’t jump in the water to save a friend who is struggling in deep water. If a child finds their friend in deep water unexpectedly, their natural reaction may be to jump in the water to try to save them. Even if a child is a great swimmer, a panicked person will overpower them, pulling the rescuer underwater. The Y’s Safety Around Water program teaches the “reach, throw, don’t go” concept of using a long object to reach for them and pull them to safety. By using this technique children can help their friend without compromising their own safety.
You can learn more about Safety Around Water, which is held annually at the Northwest Y during Spring Break, at www.monroecountyymca.org/swimming/safety-around-water. The Y also offers year-round swim lessons in their indoor pools at both the Southeast and Northwest Y locations. Fees, class schedules, and program details can be found at www.monroecountyymca.org/swim-lessons. To learn more about the Y Aquatics programs, contact the Aquatics Director, Grace Haskett, at 812-961-2178 or ghaskett@monroecountyymca.org.
About the Y
At the Monroe County YMCA, strengthening communities is our cause through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Every day, we work side by side with our neighbors to help build a healthier Monroe County. As one of the nation’s leading nonprofits, the Y helps empower men, women, and children – regardless of age, income, or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the community’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support our neighbors. We strive to give the people of Monroe County everything they need to stay strong, grow, and thrive. www.MonroeCountyYMCA.org.
