YMCA hosts 12th annual Water Safety Week
“Teaching children and adults to be safe on the water is not a luxury, it is a necessity,” says YMCA Aquatic Director Lydia Schmierer, as she oversees the Sussex Family YMCA 12th annual Water Safety Week April 17-21.
More than 400 participants from age 6 months to adult took advantage of the YMCA free swim lessons this week.
Parents and tots ages 3 and under were taught floating, kicking, arm strokes, breath control, and safe entry and exit of pool. Preschool swimmers ages 3-5 were taught breath control, floating, kicking, jumping, rhythmic arm movement and water safety. Youth 6-10 were taught water adjustment, breath control, front crawl, back crawl and basic water safety. Tweens 11-13 were taught water adjustment, breath control, front crawl, back crawl and basic water safety.
Adults were included for the first time and learned breath control, strokes and water safety.
According to Schmierer, drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury or death, and for every child that dies, another five receive emergency care with long-term consequences.
May is International Water Safety Month, and the YMCA staff is making sure to reach out to as many people as possible to teach them how to be safe around the water.
“We want to get everyone exposed to water safety,” Schmierer said.
The YMCA will also take part in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson Thursday, June 22. The WLSL was created in 2010 by the World Waterpark Association to get worldwide participation in water safety and drowning prevention lessons.
The YMCA would like to thank the following for their support of Water Safety Week: Beebe Healthcare, Lewes Yacht Club Foundation, County Bank, Sussex Emergency Associates, Hudson Family and the Cape Gazette
For more information, call the YMCA at 302-296-9622 or email Schmierer at lschmierer@ymcade.org.
