Water and Youth Safety Pensacola Inc

Pensacola Water Safety Program

History:

2008-2010

The Pensacola Association of Realtors Community Relations Committee began a free swim program in 2008. Initially, PAR members would go to 2nd grade classrooms to teach a lesson in water safety. They worked with 5-6 schools each year. At the end of the class they would present the students with a voucher for 10 free swim lessons at the Hunter Pool in Pensacola. Feedback from the folks at Hunter Pool indicated that people just weren't taking full advantage of these lessons. 

2011- 2015

In 2011 the group discovered International Water Safety Day which is held worldwide on May 15. We changed our focus to water safety and decided to hold a water safety event.

At that point PAR got together with the City of Pensacola Neighborhood Services Department, the Escambia County School District, and the Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club to form a steering committee to put on the Pensacola Water Safety Day event. PAR members still taught the classes to 2nd graders and then the next week the kids took a Water Safety Field Trip to the Hunter Pool. 

The school district arranged transportation, GPAC provided swimmers who are in the water with the little ones, PAR volunteers directed the kids to the proper areas, the Santa Rosa Island Authority provided lifeguards to demonstrate water safety devices and, the city provided the pool and lifeguards. The Florida Department of Children and Families, the Florida Department of Health and the Santa Rosa Island Authority joined the committee. Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital became a major sponsor. Volunteer swimmers from the Seastars swim club joined the effort.

2016

The steering committee completed the necessary steps to form a non-profit organization. Water And Youth Safety, Pensacola was established with the mission to introduce as many 2nd graders as possible to water safety.

WAYS added a second event in September and the Navy sent volunteer swimmers for the first time. 

With the addition of the second event WAYS introduced over 800 2nd graders to water safety in 2016.

 2017

We added 4 new schools to the water safety program in May. We also held our first event at the University of West Florida pool and had almost 250 2nd graders at this event. Our fall event returned to Hunter Pool with over 450 students attending.

2018

Our spring event included a 5th school and a record number of 531 2nd graders. A high school ROTC program is joining our group of volunteers.

The fall event featured three new schools and over 400 students. 

2019

Project Life Rings. This year WAYS, in conjunction with the Pensacola Association of Realtors and the City of Pensacola, began Project Life Rings. This program will place cabinets with 24-inch life rings and 100 feet of rope in each cabinet. The cabinets and life rings are available for sponsorship for $600 each. The City of Pensacola has agreed to install and maintain them along the waterfront in our area.

The spring event included five schools, two new, and a record 550 2nd graders at the University of West Florida.

The fall event at Hunter Pool included 4 schools and 350 students. 

Sponsorships for Life Ring Cabinets reached 12. That is enough to be installed at the Pensacola Pier. Plans are to make an initial order and begin the installation early in 2020.

2020

We were unable to hold any events.

2021

We are almost back to full-swing. We held an event for Holm Elementary 2nd graders in December. This was at the Washington High School pool. 

2022

We were able to hold our first, Spring Water Safety Day since 2019. We had two schools and 105 students participating.