Aquatic Safety Standards

The supervision of children as outlined below is a safety precaution and designed to provide an extra degree of safety precaution designed to provide an extra degree of safety beyond that provided by the YMCA lifeguards for all children 12 and under.  Adult supervision is defined as a responsible person 18 or older. Teen supervision is defined as a responsible person 16 or older.

Children 6 and Under
Will be supervised in the water. The supervision may be by an adult OR alternatively by a teen with an adult on deck.

Children 7 – 12 years
Do not have to be supervised in the water but require an adult on deck, unless they cannot pass the shallow water test. The supervising adult is permitted to provide this supervision in the water, if they wish.

Swim Tests and Required Action:

All children 12 and under will be swim tested and marked with a colored wrist band. Children who have been swim tested must verify their swimming ability on subsequent visits by wearing the wristband or be re-tested.  Participants of any age may also  be swim tested  at the discretion of the lifeguard.

Only lifeguards and certified swim instructors are qualified to conduct swim tests and may do so only when the required lifeguard ratios can be maintained.  It is not permitted for a lifeguard to conduct a swim test while required to be actively guarding. If qualified lifeguards or swim instructors or swim instructors are not available to conduct swim tests without compromising ratios, all participants must exit the water until the swim test is over. An alternative to this action is to restrict the untested child to the shallow end with a red wrist band and supervised in the water by an adult or teen.

Children who cannot pass the Shallow Water Test will:
- Wear a red wrist band
- Stay in the shallow end of the pool
- Wear either a coastguard stamped PFD(personal floatation device) or a YMCA provided IFD(instructional   floatation device)
- Be supervised in the water by an adult or teen

Children who pass the shallow water test will:
- Wear an orange wrist band
- Stay in the shallow end of the pool

Children who pass the Deep Water test will:
- Wear a green wrist band
- Be allowed to swim anywhere in the pool

Shallow Water Swim Test
Partiicipant must be able to maneuver from a vertical position in the water to a horizontal position and then return to a vertical position.

Deep Water Swim Test
If the participant passes the shallow water test, they swim into the deep water, swim 15 yeards to a specified point, swim back 15 yeards to the point of origin, exit the pool without assistance, jump into the deep end and tread water for 15 seconds. Swimmer may not rest or stop during the test. The test can be remembered
By the 15-15-15 rule. If the participant cannot complete all aspects of the test, the test is failed.