Supervision

• The Lifesaving Society recommends taking children to locations supervised by certified National Lifeguards (NL).
• On-site supervision by teacher / supervisor is required following initial skill instruction and after all safety concerns have been emphasized.
• A teacher / supervisor to student ratio of 1:10 is recommended where Lifeguards are not present.

Instructional Considerations

• Parents must give written permission for their child to be involved in any swimming activity.
• Prior to giving students access to deep water (chest deep) for swimming or other activities students must be able to meet the Swim to Survive™ Standard, a sequence of three skills: roll into deep water, tread water for 1 minute, and swim 50 m.
• Students unable to meet the Swim to Survive™ Standard may participate in lake swimming wearing a life jacket/PFD.
• Rules and regulations of swimming area must be followed.
• Students must swim with a buddy.
• Teacher should discontinue swimming activities if there is an indication of bad weather.
• Students must not be allowed to swim after dark.
• Diving should not be allowed in any open water swimming situation.
• Students should not be allowed to do distance swims.
• Students must swim only in designated area.
• Students should be informed that in an emergency situation, the person(s) assuming lifeguard responsibilities is in charge.
• Students must be informed of acceptable standards of behaviour in the water.
• Students should not be allowed to dive, push off the dock, or dunk other students.
• Students should not rely on flotation devices unless it is a PFD or lifejacket.
• Students should practice an emergency water drill, e.g., assemble on shore at the sound of three loud whistle blasts.
• Duration of swim must depend on type of swimmers, condition of atmosphere, condition of water, and time of day.
• The hazards of diving in unknown waters are extreme. Never dive into unfamiliar bodies of water.
• Always check the depth and for the presence of submerged objects like rocks, tree trunks, and other debris before diving.

Equipment/Facilities

• Use of a municipally or otherwise designated swimming waterfront is recommended. If using another location refer to the Waterfront Safety Standards available online at www.lifesaving.org

Moving Water Swimming

• Swimming in slow moving water (up to a maximum of Class I rapids only) may be permitted only if students are wearing appropriate PFDs, are swimming in a designated section of the river with qualified guides and if a rescue craft is in place.
• Recreational swimming in moving water in rapids above a Class I is not permitted.
• Swimming in moving water with rapids above a Class I should only occur in conjunction with a canoe/kayak/raft program with a certified/qualified guide.