The majority of people who drown had no intention of going into the water. For swimmers and non-swimmers alike, immersion is sudden, unexpected and often silent. For this reason, the Society believes that in Canada’s water rich environment, basic swimming ability is a required life skill for survival.
Swim to Survive® is not a replacement for swimming lessons. The focus is on the essential skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. Since most drownings occur close to safety and most victims had no intention of going into the water, the standard includes the following three skills performed in sequence:
- Roll into deep water (to simulate a fall into the water – orientate oneself at the surface after an unexpected entry)
- Tread water for 1 minute (support oneself at the surface to locate nearest point of safety)
- Swim 50 metres (swim to closest point of safety)
Contact your local Branch for more information.