Mission Moment - Water Safety at the Y

Swimming is one of life’s most essential skills. Knowing how to swim can help save your life or someone else’s life, while introducing you to a lifetime of healthy, enjoyable activity in the water.

At the YMCA of Northwest Florida, our swim lessons and Safety Around Water programs help kids and adults of all ages and abilities develop the skills they need to become strong, confident swimmers. Our diverse abilities swim program invites those with special needs into one-on-one lessons. Because every child should be safe in and around water.

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children in the United States, and Florida leads the nation in drownings for children ages 1-4. To a child, the water of a pool or the beach can be irresistible. At the Y, we recognize that learning water safety is a necessity - and it might just prevent a family in our community from experiencing the tragedy of a drowning.

As America’s most trusted swim instructor, with more than 110 years’ experience teaching millions of kids to swim, the Y is committed equipping kids with the skills they need to stay safe in and around water. Last year we taught 1,646 swim lessons, and our Safety Around Water programs reached 154 youth and trained 84 new lifeguards, who then kept other swimmers safe in the water across our community.