Published May 21, 2020
PEABODY – With Memorial Day fast approaching, pools and swim areas will begin to open. Coinciding with these openings, the YMCA of Metro North has launched a free water safety campaign, “Water Smart is Water Safe,” on its Virtual YMCA website.
The virtual swim lessons feature instructional videos, swim safety tips and downloadable free content for youths and their parents/guardians to use in preparation for summer water activities.
“Although our facilities are closed, the need for life-saving swim skills remains a major public safety issue for youth and teens this summer,” according to Rob Lowell, executive director of the Torigian Family YMCA in Peabody. “We are offering this swim safety series free to everyone to hopefully fill the gap in swimming education due to the coronavirus lockdown this spring.”
The YMCA of Metro North provides swimming lessons to hundreds of young people each year as well as lifeguard training. While its pools have been closed, the Y has employed its swim instructors to develop a library of tools with video demonstrations and resources for young people, such as how to identify a lifeguard, pool rules, swimming with life jackets and additional safety tips.
“We know the risk of drowning or injury can be reduced by almost 90 percent if children participate in formal swim lessons by the age of 4,” said Kathleen Walsh, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro North. “We have to try everything we can to continue that public safety service.”
