Y Hosts Water Safety Session

Instilling safety consciousness in and around water is so much more effective when it’s hands-on. That much was evident Saturday at the YMCA of South Collier (Marco Y) pool when Marco Rescue and Police Department personnel - along with Y swim instructors - presented a free water safety session.

Lifeguard and swim instructor Pilar Saad made kids lie on the deck facing the water, and then played the part of a swimmer in distress. Their task was to grab one of her hands and pull her to the side without losing their stability.

Over at a CPR station, firefighter paramedic Chris Bowden and firefighter EMT Tony Santovenia showed kids the basics of CPR (on rubber mannequins).

Bowden said with a suspected drowning, rule number one is to call 911. CPR is performed with 30 chest compressions per minute (about 2 inches depth for adults and children and a half inch for infants) followed by two breaths. Infants receive the breaths before the compressions.

“I encourage everybody to take a CPR course,” said Bowden. “They also need to be redone every two years.”

At just three, toddler Charlotte - whose mom Rebecca had figured it’s never too early to learn water safety - enjoyed frolicking in the pool with floaties attached to her arms.

Perhaps too young to comprehend the significance of the various safety stations, Charlotte will nevertheless learn the techniques in time, mom Rebecca said.

“We have a pool at home, and she loves the beach,” Rebecca said. “We were members of the Y in Boston (the family now lives on Marco), and she took infant swim classes.

Rebecca described the Y’s Water Safety day program as phenomenal. “It raises awareness,” she said. “My own mom (who suggested Charlotte and Rebecca attend) told us that the number one cause of death for kids in Florida is drowning.”

She added that the Water Safety day benefited parents who themselves would like to learn more about the assorted precautions and techniques.

For more on the Y's wide variety of programs and activities for adults and children, visit marcoymca.org or call 394-YMCA (9622). Follow on Twitter at ymcamarco; on Facebook @marcoymca, and Instagram at ymcamarco.