New national water safety programme "SwimSafer" introduced
Date:18 March 2010 1311 hrs (SST)
URL:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1044418/1/.html
SINGAPORE : A new water safety programme, SwimSafer, will be rolled out at public swimming pools from July this year to teach water survival skills and increase water safety.
It is not enough to know to swim. Swimmers, especially children, need to know about water safety and what they should do when they run into difficulty in the water.
Thus, the new programme hopes to teach water survival skills and drowning prevention techniques. Statistics from the Singapore Life Saving Society show that more than 60 per cent of drowning incidents between 2005 and 2008 in Singapore happened in seas, rivers, reservoirs and beaches.
There are about 30 to 40 drowning cases each year. Teo Ho Pin, chairman, National Water Safety Council, said: "Every drowning case is one too many.
So what we hope to do is that we hope to enhance the water safety knowledge among Singaporeans, and also to impart the necessary skills so that they can increase their chances of survival in different water situations.
SwimSafer is the result of a review of existing water safety programmes.
It combines the best of the Learn-To-Swim Programme and National Survival Swimming Award. It has six stages which prepare students to react appropriately when in sudden and adverse situations.
These will be taught and tested in a swimming pool setting.
Swimmers will also get more attention from their instructors.
Dr Teo said: "...by reducing the instructor to pupil ratio by 1:20 to 1:10, we will first be able to enhance the safety of the participants attending the programme."
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) will train all instructors at SSC's 24 swimming complexes to get them certified in time for the programme in July.
A separate open water module, known as SwimSafer Open Water, will be introduced for those who want to take up water sports.
URL:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1044418/1/.html
SINGAPORE : A new water safety programme, SwimSafer, will be rolled out at public swimming pools from July this year to teach water survival skills and increase water safety.
It is not enough to know to swim. Swimmers, especially children, need to know about water safety and what they should do when they run into difficulty in the water.
Thus, the new programme hopes to teach water survival skills and drowning prevention techniques. Statistics from the Singapore Life Saving Society show that more than 60 per cent of drowning incidents between 2005 and 2008 in Singapore happened in seas, rivers, reservoirs and beaches.
There are about 30 to 40 drowning cases each year. Teo Ho Pin, chairman, National Water Safety Council, said: "Every drowning case is one too many.
So what we hope to do is that we hope to enhance the water safety knowledge among Singaporeans, and also to impart the necessary skills so that they can increase their chances of survival in different water situations.
SwimSafer is the result of a review of existing water safety programmes.
It combines the best of the Learn-To-Swim Programme and National Survival Swimming Award. It has six stages which prepare students to react appropriately when in sudden and adverse situations.
These will be taught and tested in a swimming pool setting.
Swimmers will also get more attention from their instructors.
Dr Teo said: "...by reducing the instructor to pupil ratio by 1:20 to 1:10, we will first be able to enhance the safety of the participants attending the programme."
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) will train all instructors at SSC's 24 swimming complexes to get them certified in time for the programme in July.
A separate open water module, known as SwimSafer Open Water, will be introduced for those who want to take up water sports.
SwimSafer FAQ
FAQs
1. What is the rationale behind replacing the Learn-To-Swim Programme (LTSP) and National Survival Swimming Award (NASSA) with SwimSafer programme?
A review initiated by the National Water Safety Council (NWSC) in 2008 determined that an integrated programme combining the merits of the LTSP and NASSA into a single national framework be introduced.
This new programme called the SwimSafer Programme ensures that students learn basic swimming, survival and lifesaving skills concurrently.
2. Will the LTSP and NASSA cease to exist with the implementation of the SwimSafer?
As the SwimSafer is designated as the replacement programme for the LTSP and NASSA, both the latter programmes would be discontinued wef 5 July 2010.
3. With regard to the transition to the SwimSafer programme, would it not be more viable for the LTSP and NASSA to exist concurrently with the SwimSafer programme before phasing it out gradually?
After deliberation on this issue, it was concluded that it would be prudent to discontinue the LTSP and NASSA completely with the SwimSafer onboard. This would minimise confusion for consumers, who may be surprised the entry of a new programme in Singapore. We are thus announcing the SwimSafer four months in advance of its official roll out on 5 July 2010, so that the public is aware of its existence.
4. What are the differences in this new SwimSafer programme from the previous Learn-To-Swim Programme?
The SwimSafer programme is a six stage level which not only incorporates progressive elements of swimming but also water survival and lifesaving skills at each level.
5. If my child or I have completed LTSP, do I still need to go/can I go through the SwimSafer programme?
Yes, you still can and it is recommended for you to continue to participate in the SwimSafer programme.
Instructors will assess your next entry point in the programme based on your individual skill level.
6. If my child has not completed the LTSP, how will the shift from LTSP to the SwimSafer programme be made?
With effect from 5 July 2010, instructors will be conducting SwimSafer courses at all of Singapore Sports Council's (SSC) swimming pools. Your child?s skill level will be assessed based on SwimSafer Stage 1 standards and he/she will progress from there.
7. If my child is currently undergoing the NASSA programme, how will the transition to SwimSafer
be?
Your child's instructor will determine which of the SwimSafer stages, Bronze, Silver or Gold, will your child be and instruct him/her accordingly.
8. What's the minimum number of hours needed to complete the SwimSafer programme?
The SwimSafer programme has six progressive stages, each comprising 12 hours of lesson time. Survival and activity skills are taught in each stage of the programme, working progressively toward the next stage.
9. With the implementation of the SwimSafer, does it mean that being on the programme would render you well prepared for water sports participation?
SwimSafer will help you equip yourself with the basic and essential water safety skills. With these, the better prepared and safer you would be. Nevertheless, adequate safety precautions, such as wearing a life vest, should still be noted.
10. Will the SwimSafer affect the pathway to competitive swimming, since its emphasis is on survival and not technical swimming?
With the SwimSafer programme, it does not mean that students will not taught proper swimming skills. They will, of course, be instructed on basic swimming skills/strokes, as well as a well-rounded understanding of water survival. As they acquire such water safety skills, they will grow in water confidence and adapt better to competitive swimming.
11. How will you ensure that only SwimSafer certified instructors instruct in the SRC's swimming pools?
All SwimSafer certified instructors will be provided with a SwimSafer Instructor Card which they will have to produce upon entering the SSC's SRCs, as well as showing upon request from a parent. In addition, they will be identifiable on the pool deck by the SwimSafer branded hat that they will wear when conducting classes.
12. Where can I get more details about the SwimSafer programme?
More details of the programme will be available on the SSC at http://www.ssc.gov.sg/swimsafer. The NWSC website, too, will soon have more information about the SwimSafer programme.
1. What is the rationale behind replacing the Learn-To-Swim Programme (LTSP) and National Survival Swimming Award (NASSA) with SwimSafer programme?
A review initiated by the National Water Safety Council (NWSC) in 2008 determined that an integrated programme combining the merits of the LTSP and NASSA into a single national framework be introduced.
This new programme called the SwimSafer Programme ensures that students learn basic swimming, survival and lifesaving skills concurrently.
2. Will the LTSP and NASSA cease to exist with the implementation of the SwimSafer?
As the SwimSafer is designated as the replacement programme for the LTSP and NASSA, both the latter programmes would be discontinued wef 5 July 2010.
3. With regard to the transition to the SwimSafer programme, would it not be more viable for the LTSP and NASSA to exist concurrently with the SwimSafer programme before phasing it out gradually?
After deliberation on this issue, it was concluded that it would be prudent to discontinue the LTSP and NASSA completely with the SwimSafer onboard. This would minimise confusion for consumers, who may be surprised the entry of a new programme in Singapore. We are thus announcing the SwimSafer four months in advance of its official roll out on 5 July 2010, so that the public is aware of its existence.
4. What are the differences in this new SwimSafer programme from the previous Learn-To-Swim Programme?
The SwimSafer programme is a six stage level which not only incorporates progressive elements of swimming but also water survival and lifesaving skills at each level.
5. If my child or I have completed LTSP, do I still need to go/can I go through the SwimSafer programme?
Yes, you still can and it is recommended for you to continue to participate in the SwimSafer programme.
Instructors will assess your next entry point in the programme based on your individual skill level.
6. If my child has not completed the LTSP, how will the shift from LTSP to the SwimSafer programme be made?
With effect from 5 July 2010, instructors will be conducting SwimSafer courses at all of Singapore Sports Council's (SSC) swimming pools. Your child?s skill level will be assessed based on SwimSafer Stage 1 standards and he/she will progress from there.
7. If my child is currently undergoing the NASSA programme, how will the transition to SwimSafer
be?
Your child's instructor will determine which of the SwimSafer stages, Bronze, Silver or Gold, will your child be and instruct him/her accordingly.
8. What's the minimum number of hours needed to complete the SwimSafer programme?
The SwimSafer programme has six progressive stages, each comprising 12 hours of lesson time. Survival and activity skills are taught in each stage of the programme, working progressively toward the next stage.
9. With the implementation of the SwimSafer, does it mean that being on the programme would render you well prepared for water sports participation?
SwimSafer will help you equip yourself with the basic and essential water safety skills. With these, the better prepared and safer you would be. Nevertheless, adequate safety precautions, such as wearing a life vest, should still be noted.
10. Will the SwimSafer affect the pathway to competitive swimming, since its emphasis is on survival and not technical swimming?
With the SwimSafer programme, it does not mean that students will not taught proper swimming skills. They will, of course, be instructed on basic swimming skills/strokes, as well as a well-rounded understanding of water survival. As they acquire such water safety skills, they will grow in water confidence and adapt better to competitive swimming.
11. How will you ensure that only SwimSafer certified instructors instruct in the SRC's swimming pools?
All SwimSafer certified instructors will be provided with a SwimSafer Instructor Card which they will have to produce upon entering the SSC's SRCs, as well as showing upon request from a parent. In addition, they will be identifiable on the pool deck by the SwimSafer branded hat that they will wear when conducting classes.
12. Where can I get more details about the SwimSafer programme?
More details of the programme will be available on the SSC at http://www.ssc.gov.sg/swimsafer. The NWSC website, too, will soon have more information about the SwimSafer programme.