x
Breaking News
More () »

Local swim center continues mission of water safety despite being closed

May is Water Safety Month and a local swim center is making a splash.

SAN ANTONIO — May is Water Safety Month and a local swim center is making a splash.

British Swim School is continuing its mission of saving lives through water safety even though the center is currently closed due to coronavirus.

We spoke to Melissa McGarvey via Skype about some online safety campaigns they are hosting.

"We started what we call the 'Backyard Swimming Pool Patrol', but this does really extend to any open body of water, because if you don't have a backyard pool, you may have a small creek or river nearby," McGarvey said.

One of the online programs is the Safe Swimmer Pledge. Kids can actually go to the swim center's website, click a button to take the pledge and actually see the numbers change to show they have taken it. McGarvey said it's a great way to open up a conversation with kids about safety expectations during swimming.

Another program is the Water Watcher Badge to give to an adult who is designated as the person responsible for watching the swimmers. McGarvey describes it like a "designated driver" but for pool safety.

"The owner of that badge is not on their cell phone, they are not listening to music, they are not taking their eyes off the kids or the swimmers at that point. When they do need to remove themselves from their duty, they pass it on to someone who has agreed to take on this responsibility," McGarvey said.

McGarvey said the British Swim School will follow local and state guidance on when to reopen. 

Meanwhile, click here for their online water safety programs.

Before You Leave, Check This Out