October 15, 2010
Swim to Survive School Program
Kamloops, BC - The City of Kamloops and School District #73 are the recipients of a $9,700 grant for the Lifesaving Swim to Survive School Program. This grant is administered by the Lifesaving Society, and made possible by their funding partners, RBC Foundation and BC Transmission Corporation.
The Lifesaving Society's Canadian Swim-to-Survive® Standard defines the essential minimum skills required to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. The program consists of three in-water lessons of 45 minutes each, focusing on a sequence of three skills: roll entry, tread water for one minute, and swim 50 meters. School teachers also receive optional in-classroom water safety lessons to augment the skills learned at the pool.
The Lifesaving Society projects that if every Canadian learned the Swim to Survive standard the drowning rate would be reduced by 50%. Therefore, the goal o f the Lifesaving Society's Swim to Survive School Program is to provide training to 50% of Grade 3 students within the three year period of January 2010 to December 2012. In Kamloops, all 978 Grade 3 students in the district will have the opportunity to participate in 2010.
"The Swim to Survive School Program complements our traditional learn to swim and water safety programs," says Glen Cheetham, Aquatics Program Supervisor with the City of Kamloops. "No matter what skill level the students bring to the Swim to Survive program, they will come out better prepared to be safe in, on or around the water."
School District #73 recognizes how important it is for all of our children to possess essential swimming skills. "This is especially true as our school district extends across a wide geographical area filled with many lakes and rivers," says Mike Johnson, Active Schools and Nutrition Coordinator with School District #73. "Many of the rural communities in the district do not currently have access to public swimming facilities which makes this funding all the more valuable since all grade 3 students have the opportunity to participate in the program."
The Swim to Survive School Program commenced October 1 and will continue through to June 2011. The program was officially launched on October 15th at 10:00am at the Tournament Capital Centre when Deputy Mayor Marg Spina and Denise Harper were presented a cheque from Dalyce Brandt, Vice President of Lifesaving Society, BC-Yukon Branch. Councillor Pat Wallace and Mike Johnson, Active Schools and Nutrition Coordinator with School District #73 were also in attendance.
For more information, visit kamloops.ca/swim or sd73.bc.ca.
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Media Contact:
Glen Cheetham, Aquatics Program Supervisor
City of Kamloops
250-828-3659
gcheetham@kamloops.ca
