The Lifesaving Society’s SWIM Program

The Lifesaving Society believes that “The acquisition of basic swimming ability is a fundamental requirement in any meaningful attempt to eliminate drowning in Canada.”

The SWIM Program is designed to target swimming skills that will keep participants safe in the water, teach them swimming strokes and WaterSmart messages and guide them towards the acquisition of lifesaving skills in the Canadian Swim Patrol Program.
SWIM Program Modules:

• Parent & Tot Program
• 5 Level Preschool Program
• 6 Level School-age Program
• 3 Level Adult Program
• An additional three levels from the Canadian Swim Patrol Program follow that begin to focus on rescue of others – Rookie, Ranger and Star Patrol.
• The SWIM program and Canadian Swim Patrol Program lead seamlessly into Bronze Star, Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross.
• All content is designed to be taught in the water for parent & Tot, Preschool and Levels 1 – 6.  (no on-deck teaching)

History of the SWIM Program:

• In 2000 the Lifesaving Society developed a “Swim to Survive” position statement that stated:  “Acquisition of basic swimming ability is a fundamental requirement in any meaningful attempt to eliminate drowning in Canada.”
• The basic swimming ability cited in the position statement was addressed in the Swim to Survive Standard which outlines swimming skills necessary to survive an unexpected fall into deep water.
• The skills standard was developed based on drowning statistics which show that if drowning victims could have been able to achieve the swim to survive standard, many lives would be saved.

The Swim to Survive standard is:

Roll into deep water
Tread water for 1 minute
Swim 50 meters

**If every Canadian could perform these skills, the number of drownings in Canada would be reduced by as much as 70%.

• To support the Swim to Survive position statement and the Swim to Survive standard, a learn to swim program (SWIM) was developed by the Lifesaving Society, further helping to meet the mission of drowning prevention.

The International Life Saving Federation endorses the Society’s SWIM program as being an excellent learn-to-swim program for all Canadians.
Swim strokes within the program are consistent with the Federation Internationale De Natation’s (FINA) requirements for swim programs. FINA is the International organization that is responsible for swim programs.