Water Wise at the YMCA Does it Again

The “Water Wise” Boater Safety and Swim Program was established over 25 years ago by the wisdom of “Miss Dottie” at the YMCA! The collaboration hosted by the Marco Island YMCA, Marco Island Fire Department, and US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 95 brings Tommie Barfield School third graders across the street for a few hours of safety education and fun in the YMCA pool. Over two days, almost 70 third graders from Tommie Barfield School learn lifesaving skills from CPR techniques, Water Rescues, Radio distress “May Day” calls, wearing a properly fitting life vest (PFD), entering and exiting a life raft, and swimming instruction and testing from the YMCA. Each day, students are divided into 4 groups by teachers and parent chaperones.

The first stop of four stations in a group rotation for each student is the Life Raft station.

Each student dons a “properly fitted life vest or PFD, requests permission to enter a life raft floating in the pool, learns how to properly and safely enter and exit the life raft, and learns where PFDs and VHF radios are typically located on any vessel,” explains Bob Williamson, staff officer for US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 95. “Incidents happen quickly on the water, and teaching kids’ lifesaving skills early should help them in any future boating endeavors,” explains Frank Ciriello, Vice Flotilla Commander of Flotilla 95, and Certified EMT.

Next stop for the kids is the YMCA Swim Instruction and Test station, led by Certified YMCA Instructor Tom Rota, who has been at the YMCA for several years.

Each child swims the length of the shallow end (25 feet) under Tom’s watchful eye and encouragement, and, if necessary, he teaches each third grader floating and treading-water techniques to stay safe in any situation. Each student must “pass” the YMCA instructor’s test to swim without a PFD during open swim time.

Then the children gather at the third station under the tiki hut to learn about water rescue, lifesaving, “stop the bleed” techniques, and CPR from the Marco Island Fire Department, Station #50. Led by Captain Matt Lund, Francis Crowley (Engineer and Paramedic), and the newest member of the squad, Caleb Beatty. Most importantly, a typical “drowning victim” in the water sometimes looks calm with no signs of panic, other than an inability to float or breathe. Captain and Certified Paramedic Lund discusses how to identify a drowning victim and how to respond. The Marco Island Fire Department team then provides instruction and simulation, delivering CPR to a potential drowning victim mannequin. “It’s never too early to teach kids these lifesaving skills,” explains Barry Fisher, who organized and led this year’s event, collaborating with the YMCA’s Program Director, Reilly Smith. Barry, who recently joined the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 95, has also spent most of his life volunteering as a Scout Leader for the Scouts of America in the mid-Atlantic region.

The final station for the students is a life-sized center console helm station with a VHF Radio, compass, and Emergency Cut Off Switch (ECOS) attached. Radio operators from US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 95, Bill Russo, Bob Williamson and Steve Sacks, instruct each child how to make a proper “May Day” call on the radio, name of the vessel, how to find their location (latitude and longitude) on the radio, using their phone or compass heading, and relay any additional necessary information to the US Coast Guard Watch Stander answering that call on VHF Channel 16. Critical information like how many souls are onboard, the nature of the emergency (fire, grounding, collision, etc.), and the nature of any injuries onboard.

The Water Wise Program is part of National Safe Boating Month in May and the US Coast Guard’s “Wear It Campaign,” encouraging all boaters to always wear a properly fitting PFD on the water. Special focus this year is National Safe Boating Week (NSBW), May 16-May 22, encouraging all mariners to get a complimentary vessel safety check from our certified USCG Vessel Examiners at Flotilla 95: www.USCGAuxMarco.org

On one side of the pool area at the YMCA is a sign designating it the “Dottie Weiner Pavilion,” in honor of the woman whose wisdom taught generations of Marco Islanders how to swim. The YMCA of Collier County’s Marco Island campus at 101 Sandhill Street offers a host of activities for all ages, from preschool through Parkinson’s support. For more information, call 239-394- YMCA (9622) or go online to: https://ymcacollier.org/

For further information about other USCGAux programs, including complimentary Vessel Safety Examinations, or how to join the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, (239) 394-5911 or www.USCGAuxMarco.org