Swimming and Water Safety

At the Red Cross, we have been teaching swimming and water safety in Canada since 1946. We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to stay safe when they are on, in, or near the water. We also provide the training and skills for a fun and rewarding job – lifeguarding!

​In a country surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, the Cuban Red Cross understands the importance of being prepared for water emergencies, especially as a first responder. Through the CERA (Capacity Building for Emergency Response) Initiative, a Cuban Red Cross expert in water rescue has led trainings for two sister island nations: Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Canadian Red Cross volunteer Leslie White has spent most of her life ensuring the safety of those around water. Now as a City of St. John’s, Facilities Supervisor with the Department of Community Services in Newfoundland, her team oversees four aquatic centres, recreation facilities and more than 100 staff, while she volunteers with the Red Cross in multiple capacities.

Becoming a mom has led me to reflect on my own childhood, my relationship with water and my experiences learning to swim. Now I’m seeing my own 3-year-old son fearlessly jumping in the water, learning to swim and loving the beach as much as I did.

With summer's hot weather driving Canadians in droves to water activities, take a moment to ensure you have the proper knowledge for safe water play with this quiz.

Even when kids wear flotation devices and water wings, the water can quickly become a source of stress for parents. That’s why the Red Cross strongly recommends signing kids up for swimming lessons when they are just months old.

After the bitterly cold weeks and multiple storms we have had this year, many of you will be heading for sunnier climes in the coming weeks. Before you stretch out on a lounge chair to catch some rays, here are a few tips for a safer trip.

Knowledge, equipment, and skill. Those are the three things that can help you stay safe on the ice and survive if you fall through it. That’s according to Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, who operates the Laboratory for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at the University of Manitoba and was the keynote speaker at the 8^th Annual Red Cross Alberta Water Safety Conference in Calgary.