Since late 1978 Fiji Red Cross Society (FRCS) has been involved in water safety programmes. Today, it retains a high standard of qualified instructors and maintains a powerful water safety programme.

It is important to know how to swim because water covers over two thirds of the world and it is an important skill to know. Everybody should learn to swim. Ideally people should learn to swim as children. Children learn motor skills faster than adults, and people tend to solidify their fear of the water as they get older.

The first important safety point is to make sure you know how to swim. Many water-related accidents are due to overconfidence regarding swimming or diving ability. People need to know and respect their swimming limitations. Those who are poor swimmers should use properly fitting life jackets, as opposed to inner tubes or other inflatable objects, for protection. Areas with swift currents or large waves should be avoided.

Children need constant supervision from adults when in or around water. A child can drown in 30 seconds in only 2 inches of water. Playing around wells, rivers, creeks, streams, and the sea all represent potential dangers for children and adults alike. Even buckets and hoses in the yard can get children in trouble, as their curiosity may get the better of them.

In the Pacific, the ocean is used for survival (food), communication and transportation. It is important to emphasise water safety in our communities for the reason that a life can be saved. Enjoy the water, but respect it.

“Always swim with a buddy”

FijiSWIM Programme

The FijiSWIM Programme is based on the teaching recommendations and resource of AustSwim and the award structure of the Royal Lifesaving Society of Australia (RLSSA). These programmes have been adapted to suit the needs of Fiji.

The aim is to contribute to the reduction in water fatalities in Fiji through a comprehensive training programme.

Upon the completion of the course the participant should be able to:

• Swim competently in the water
• Understand and practice water safety when in and around water
• Perform basic Life Saving procedures
• Perform basic First Aid procedures

Course Contents

Level 1: SwimSafe

Introduce the beginner to swimming, safety and survival activities in the water.

• Enter the water safely and confidently
• Submerge the body completely
• Open eyes under water
• Breathe out with the face under water
• Be rescued using the reach rescue
• Float for 30 seconds with a floatation aid, wave for help
• Float face down and then stand up
• Move through the water for 3 metres, unassisted and with face down and then stand up
• Move through the water for 3 metres, unassisted and with feel off the bottom
• Leave the water safely and confidently

Level 2: SwimSafe

Increase water awareness and further develop water confidence, safety, and swimming and survival skills.

• Demonstrate slide in entry
• Float on back then stand up
• Demonstrate treading water by arm sculling
• Tread for 30 seconds, float for 1 minute using a floatation aid which has been thrown and kick to the edge
• Move through the water using any style, for 30 seconds
• Be rescued with 5 metre rope and pulled to safety
• Pick up an object from the bottom in chest deep water
• 20 metre swim using any style of swimming

Level 3: SwimSafe

Further develop the participant's water safety, survival and swimming skills.

• Step in entry
• Treading water, rotate the body completely, keeping the face out of the water
• Tread water for 1 minute and swim for 1 minute holding a floatation aid, which has been thrown and swim to safety
• Perform a reach rescue
• Surface dive and swim underwater and pick up an object in chest deep water
• Swim 50 metres using an underwater and above water arm stroke (i.e. freestyle and sidestroke)

Level 4: SwimSafe

Reinforce the learner's understanding of water safety and extend personal swimming and survival abilities.

• Demonstrate compact jump
• Demonstrate feet first sculling on the back
• Rotate the tucked body completely
• Dressed in clothes demonstrate continuously, 2 minutes of treading water and swim slowly for 3 minutes using breaststroke, sidestroke and/or survival backstroke
• Perform a throw rescue
• Surface dive, swim underwater and pick up object from water at participant's height
• Float for 1 minute using a thrown flotation aid
• Swim 50 metres above water stroke and 25 metres with underwater stroke (i.e. freestyle and breaststroke)

Level 5: SwimSafe

Provide the participant with increased safety, swimming and survival abilities including clothed survival swimming and personal fitness for survival.

• Answer questions on water safety and personal survival
• Perform a shallow dive
• Dressed in clothes demonstrate continuously, feet first entry, swim 5 metres under water, take off clothing, treading water for 4 minutes and swim slowly for 6 minutes using 3 survival strokes
• Correctly fit a PFD, enter the water and float for 1 minute, then safety exit the water
• Perform reach and throw rescues
• Continuously swim 25 metres freestyle, 25 metres sidestroke, 25 metres backstroke, 25 metres breaststroke

Level 6: SwimSafe

Develop a high degree of swimming, safety and survival skills and develop water endurance.

• Answer questions on safety and survival techniques
• Demonstrate a stride entry
• Demonstrate body rolling from front, side and back
• Dressed in clothes, feet first entry, swim underwater for 10 metres, then 50 metres of freestyle and 50 metres breaststroke or sidestroke
• 1 minute float with any aid, 6 minutes slow swimming using survival strokes and 3 minutes of treading water
• Fit a PFD while treading water and swim 25 metres, climb out of the water
• Throw unweighted rope for 6 metres and pull victim to safety
• Swim continuously, 50 metres each of sidestroke, back stroke, breaststroke and freestyle

Course Duration

The course duration is 10 days and approximately one hour per day.

Accreditation

At the satisfactory completion of each level the participant receives a certificate. By the end of the programme the participant will have a total of six certificates.

Course Fee

SwimSafe Level 1 - $50.00 per participant

SwimSafe Level 2 - $50.00 per participant

SwimSafe Level 3 - $50.00 per participant

SwimSafe Level 4 - $50.00 per participant

SwimSafe Level 5 - $50.00 per participant

SwimSafe Level 6 - $50.00 per participant

(excluding pool entry fee)

Note: Each session is scheduled for at least an hour. Time of lessons will depend on the registered participants.