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Safety Around Water
71% of the World is Water Children are 100% Curious
The Greater Johnstown Community YMCA is dedicated to making swim safety accessible to all children of our community. We believe that teaching children how to be safe around water is not a luxury; it is a necessity. We are proud to offer the YMCA’s Safety Around Water program to the children of Johnstown and surrounding areas. This FREE program can help you make sure your children learn essential water safety skills, which can open up a world of possibilities for them to satisfy their curiosity safely.
What Is Safety Around Water?
Through learning how to perform a sequenced set of skills over eight lessons of 30 minutes each, the risk of drowning is reduced, giving your child confidence in and around water. SAW lessons are for children ages 3-12.
A typical session includes:
- Exercises to help kids adjust to being in water
- Instruction in “Jump, Push, Turn, Grab” and “Swim, Float, Swim,” two skill sets kids can use if they unexpectedly find themselves in the water
- Specific safety topics, like what to do if you see someone in the water who needs help
- Fun activities that reinforce skills
Eastin Charles Foundation Partnership
In 2020 the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA partnered with the Eastin Charles Foundation in an effort to make swim lessons and water safety available to more children in our region. Through the tragic loss of young Eastin on June 12 due to a drowning that occurred on June 8, Eastin has become a true hero and his foundation is doing great work to prevent childhood drownings.
With the generous help of the Eastin Charles Foundation we are able to provide free swim lessons to any child who attends 6 of 8 SAW lessons in March, 2021.
PARENTS: KEEP YOUR CHILDREN SAFE
Drowning can happen nearly anywhere with standing water. But, as a parent or caregiver, you can’t keep your children sidelined. You need to equip them with the tools they need to be confident in and around water so they don’t lose out on the health benefits of exercise, the opportunities to bond with family and friends and the sense of accomplishment when they learn new skills. The Y encourages parents to take an active role in their child’s safety by ensuring they learn how to swim and by practicing these safety tips when in and around the water:
