One hundred and 19 Grade 3 students from Kootenay Orchards Elementary, Pinewood Elementary, Gordon Terrace Elementary, Steeples Elementary schools and Kootenay Christian Academy have learned how to be safe in around water this coming summer thanks to the Swim to Survive Grant through the BC & Yukon Lifesaving Society.

Each of these schools received three free, one-hour swim lessons at the Cranbrook Aquatic Centre through the Swim to Survive Program Grant.

Students learned a variety of skills including how to rescue someone who is in distress in the water while keeping themselves safe, self-rescue from ice, how to orient yourself in the water after an unexpected fall, and swim to the nearest point of safety, developing water safe attitudes and enabling the child to make safe choices.

At this age, children can start swimming at the pool without parental supervision and most likely less supervision at waterfronts. Drowning is the third leading cause of death in Canada. The number of fatalities due to drowning has recently been rising, especially in lakes and rivers. On July 22, 2013 drowning’s in B.C. had doubled from the previous year.

Having the opportunity to learn to swim is also a contributing factor in saving a life.

The City of Cranbrook Aquatic Centre is taking a lead role in providing this program in an effort to make swimming safer for children in our community. Our goal is to provide this program again for 272 Grade 3 students in September. With the support of a second Swim to Survive Grant we will be able to achieve that goal.

City of Cranbrook

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