Mayor John Tory and Barbara Byers, Public Education Director for the Lifesaving Society, are sharing information on how Swim to Survive programs help ensure water safety in Toronto.
Swim to Survive teaches the essential skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into deep water — an important first step to being safe around water. The City of Toronto, in partnership with the lifesaving society and school boards, funds and delivers Swim to Survive programming to more than 15,000 grade-four students each year. The Swim to Survive program is also delivered daily at pools across the city, in an effort to provide children with the basic knowledge of water safety.
The Lifesaving Society defines the minimum skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into deep water and the followings skills make up the Canadian Swim to Survive standard:
• Roll into deep water
• Tread water for one minute
• Swim 50 metres
Swim to Survive programming is primarily provided to children, but people of all ages can take steps to ensure they can perform the Society’s Swim to Survive standard. The City’s Learn to Swim programs provide a full range of classes for swimmers of every skill level. Each program gives the participant the opportunity to increase their knowledge of water safety and improve swimming skills in a safe and enjoyable environment. Review the full range of learn to swim, aquatic leadership and instructional programs at http://www.toronto.ca/swim.
More information about the Lifesaving Society and Swim to Survive is available at http://www.lifesavingsociety.com/swim-to-survive/swim-to-survive.aspx.
Find the nearest pool, splash pad or wading pool and an option to search by address at https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/maps/pools/index.html.
“Toronto has many pools, splash pads, wading pools and beaches for people to take advantage of during summer months while staying active, cooling off and enjoying the outdoors. Swim to Survive programs teach important life skills and help ensure people can stay safe and have fun while in and around water.”
– Toronto Mayor John Tory
“We’re pleased to be working with the City to provide Swim to Survive lessons and water safety instruction. Swimming skills are not innate and basic swimming ability is a fundamental requirement in any meaningful attempt to eliminate drowning in Canada.”
– Barbara Byers, Public Education Director for the Lifesaving Society
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of more than 2.9 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cityoftoronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.