Safe Start Survival Swimming050

Drowning is the number one cause of death for children under five in Florida. While that is a sobering statistic, programs like Safe Start aim to eliminate the problem.

The Safe Start program is a six week course for children between one and four that teaches survival swimming skills. Children work one-on-one with a certified instructor five days a week for 10 minutes each day.

Children are first taught a survival back float. They then move to a swim-float-swim sequence, a way of swimming through the water by rolling over into a back float to rest, and then flipping over to swim to safety. Kids learn the manuever in swimsuits and street clothes.

The classes aren't just for kids, though. Parents are educated about all aspects of water safety through interviews, observation of lessons, the Safe Start Parent Resource Book, and one-on-one interaction with the instructors.