THE WORLD IS 71% WATER.

ARE YOUR KIDS 100% PREPARED?

This summer, take the Family Pledge to be safe around water!

As summer kicks off this weekend with the Memorial Day holiday, please make a commitment with your family and friends to join the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas in keeping our children safe this summer. Before letting your children hit the water this summer, remember these few tips to ensure it’s an enjoyable and safe experience.

Never swim alone.
Supervise your children whenever they’re in water. Download a Water Watcher Tag as a helpful reminder.
Wear a Life Jacket. Inexperienced, non-swimmers and kids should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
Don’t jump in the water to save a friend who is struggling in deep water. 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.

Teaching children how to be safe around water is not a luxury; it is a necessity. The YMCA’s Safety Around Water program can help you make sure they 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 40 minutes each, the risk of drowning is reduced, giving your child confidence in and around water.

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

WATER SAFETY TIPS

Before letting your children hit the water, remember these few tips to ensure it’s an enjoyable and safe experience!

https://www.ymcadallas.org/blog/water-safety-tips

SWIM LESSONS

Students begin with and build upon skills they are ready to learn, helping them to celebrate their successes, build self-confidence, and enjoy learning to swim and water safety.

https://www.ymcadallas.org/locations/coppell_family_ymca/swimming

Urban Swim Academy

Because we care about children’s safety, the YMCA developed a process to teach minority children basic water safety skills while helping them have fun around water.

https://www.ymcadallas.org/social_responsibility/social_services/urban_swim_aca…

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO is a campaign centered on educating our communities about dangers of drowning and important rules of water safety.

Studies have shown that minority children are three times more likely to drown. Studies indicate that 60% of all African-American children are unable to swim. Today, a residential pool is 14 times more likely to the take the life of a child than an automobile.

The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas, Children’s Health, Alliance Data, the Safe Kids Greater Dallas, and Independent Pool and Spa Service Association (IPSSA) are committed to providing communities with effective swim safety presentations and on-going educational information. The YMCA and our vital partners in this initiative are committed to keeping children safe in and around water, and providing knowledge needed to prevent potentially dangerous and fatal situations.

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