About Survival Swiming
Survival swimming is a comprehensive swimming and aquatic self-rescue instruction. Unlike many of the popular swim programs that teach the Pop-Up Breathing method (children lift head, get a breath, struggle to float), our program emphasizes the Rollback-To-Float method so that children can roll onto their back, float as they catch their breath, and swim to safety. This swimming technique teaches your child the life-saving skills to survive an aquatic accident should they find themselves alone in the water.
Programs
Little Splashers
This is the beginning of your baby’s water experience! Infants 6 months to beginning walkers, along with a caregiver, will be introduced to the aquatic environment – splashing, bonding, and making new friends. This program is the precursor to swim-float-survive, and gets your baby comfortable with our swim lessons, instructors, and of course, the water!
Infant & Toddler Survival
This program focuses on gently introducing children to water with short, repetitive one-on-one lessons, building trust with the instructor, and slowly teaching them to reactively roll onto their backs and float, flip back onto their stomachs, and swim to exit the water.
By breaking down such a big task into small pieces, retention is higher, and it has proven to be a very successful method, ensuring your child learns to swim~float~swim in just a few weeks. While each child learns individually, most finish in four to six weeks of daily lessons.
Fun Group Classes
Coming soon. . . After mastering the swim-float-survive program, children are now ready to have some fun in age and skill-appropriate group lessons. Our Fun Group lessons, which are divided between assisted and unassisted parent support, are essential for continuing the confidence and skill growth of your swimmers. Children use their newly developed independent swimming skills to discover how much fun water-related activities can be, while still learning new skills to add to their swimming repertoire.
Nadyne Siegel-Brown, Training Instructor
Survival swim specialist Nadyne Siegel-Brown has taught thousands of children to self-rescue themselves in the event of an aquatic accident and has trained swim school instructors across the United States. Nadyne is also the author of the Survival Swimming Instructor Training manual, which is used nationwide to teach these skills.
Nadyne is a CAST partner. As such, she adheres to CAST’s values and mission and can facilitate instructions for families needing financial support. Please indicate in your enrollment if you need assistance or if you are a nurse, fire, police, or military for a generous discount.
Nadyne owns Swim Kids of Georgia, where she teaches daily. Her mission is safety first, followed by a love for all things water. She is strongly committed to teaching children and trainers proper swimming techniques. Swimming is the only sport that can SAVE LIVES and reduce the risk of drowning. Her motto is to save lives, one child at a time, by teaching them to swim, float, and survive!
The next Kodiak session for new participants is
January 2 – January 31, 2025
Sunday through Friday
*Please note this session is intended to train Lucy Pryor and Sara Olson, Kodiak residents, to become survival swim instructors.
Nadyne Siegel-Brown, training instructor will manage the session, but Lucy and Sara will perform the in-water training.
Little Splasher details, when are lessons, how often, much, and long?
The Kodiak session starts on January 2, 2025, and ends on January 31, 2025.
Groups will meet from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. once a week. Classes are held on Thursday or Friday. Please note there is an extra class on Sunday, 1/12, or 1/26, respectively, to make a full 6-week of training.
Little Splashers is for children aged 6 to 12 months (who must be able to support their own head) or who are pre-walking.
Caregivers are in the water.
This is a 30-minute group class of 4 to 5 children per instructor.
Lessons will be facilitated at the City Pool (821 E Rezanof Dr, Kodiak, AK 99615)
Cost:
$15 for instruction and
$3 for pool fees
Totaling to $18 a week
* 6 weeks = $108
Infant & Toddler Survival details, when are lessons, how often, much, and long?
The Kodiak session starts on January 2, 2025, and ends on January 31, 2025.
Private one-on-one lessons are Monday through Friday and two Sundays (1/12 & 1/26). During registration, you will have an opportunity to select the time that you are best available. Sara is the training instructor in the morning, and Lucy is in the afternoon.
Survival is for children 6 months (must have head control) to 4 years old.
Caregivers are NOT in the water.
This is a 15-minute one-on-one private lesson.
Lessons will be facilitated at the City Pool (821 E Rezanof Dr, Kodiak, AK 99615)
Cost:
$42.50 per lesson for instruction and
$7.50 for pool fees
Totaling $50 per lesson
* 24 lessons = $1,200
See CAST Scholarship and Discounts if you are a military veteran, teacher, emergency service worker (nurse, police, fire), child with special needs, or in need of an income-based scholarship for reduced costs.
CAST Scholarships and Discounts
We are so pleased to have support from the CAST organization in providing scholarships for this session. Scholarships and discounts are only available for the Infant & Toddler one one-on-one session at this time.
CAST’s mission is to prevent childhood drowning and create safer swimmers sooner. The CAST Foundation helps minimize the cost of lessons for those in need by granting scholarships in varying amounts for up to six weeks of an initial lesson session and 20 continuation lessons for an additional year. Participating families must be enrolled to swim with a CAST Scholarship Partner Instructor. CAST offers scholarships for the following categories:
- Income-Based: Families needing financial assistance to make self-rescue swim lessons feasible will qualify based on individual needs (subject to income verification).
- Military, Teacher, Nurse & First Responder: If either parent is serving or has served in the military, is currently employed as a teacher or nurse, or works as a first responder, scholarships are available covering approximately 10-25% of the cost of self-rescue swim lessons, depending on instructor and/or location (current employee ID required.) Those needing more financial aid may request additional coverage through an income-based scholarship application.
- Special Needs: Families with special needs or a disability (parent or child) interested in self-rescue swim lessons will qualify for scholarships covering approximately 10-25% of self-rescue swim lessons, depending on instructor and/or location. Those needing more financial aid may request additional coverage through an income-based scholarship application.
- Other: If your family has circumstances not covered by the scholarship options above, please reach out to us. CAST is committed to inclusivity.
Please note: CAST can cover a limited number of registration fees for those with substantial income-based needs. Please indicate this need in the application.
Discount Cost:
$12.50 per lesson for instruction and
$0 for pool fees
Totaling $12.50 per lesson
* 24 lessons = $300
Income-based Cost:
$1 per lesson for instruction and
$0 for pool fees
Totaling $1 per lesson
* 24 lessons = $24
Required Submission Materials
A Google application form will be sent once you have arranged a time slot with a CAST Scholarship Partner Instructor. This application will include a written statement explaining your need for assistance, your interest in self-rescue swim lessons for your family, and your ability to commit to daily lessons. Additional verification may be requested in tax returns, employment verification, reference checks, etc.
The CAST scholarship application form will be shared with you after you have discussed lessons with a participating CAST Scholarship Partner Instructor. Your instructor will also introduce you to our CAST scholarship support team. We look forward to working with you!
What skills will the instructor focus on?
Little Splashers
Caregivers are in the water, and we focus on helping your child become cautious and comfortable in the water and water movements. Often, children are comfortable lying on their backs in the water by the end of the sessions, and caregivers are more able to support the child in the water without floating assistance.
Infant & Toddler Survival
The instructor helps your child learn the swim-float-swim sequence. The instructor will hold your child and kindly support them through the steps of laying on their back, breathing control, rolling to their stomach, submersion, and returning to their back. We will also focus on using the sequence to help your child find a safe place to exit the water.
Additionally, in the last training days, the child may perform the swim-float-survive sequence fully clothed. For boaters, SUPs, and kayakers, we also recommend bringing your child’s life jacket so the child can feel the difference in the water and test the effectiveness of your life-saving equipment.
My child has special needs, can they participate?
Many children with special needs can safely and successfully participate in lessons. Yes, you may register a child with special needs. Your needs will be reviewed at registration and we will work with your specific needs.
What is the retention rate with lessons?
Retention can vary from one child to the other; this is why we are making these lessons a staple in our community, and we will be adding additional group classes so children can learn through playing with others in the water. See the training instructor’s website for possible future classes we hope to bring to Kodiak in the future.
Do you have children that just can’t learn the skills?
No. Every child can learn. It is the Instructor’s job to find the best way to communicate the information so that it makes sense to the child. We set your child up to be successful every time. We start where they are.
Should I use floats?
We support the law and encourage boaters, SUPs, and kayakers to wear life jackets. We understand floats or floaties in a pool are a personal choice based on how comfortable you feel. If you have anxiety about your child being in the water without floats, please use them, but we highly suggest not using floats, and the caregiver is in the water close by at all times. Floaties teach your child how to be in the water with floats. We want your child to feel cautious and comfortable in the water as they are and to survive if they find themselves alone in the water.
Additionally, when children wear floatation devices, they can explore areas of the pool that their skill level does not support. The best step is to remain relaxed and unhurried in a shallow area. If your child wobbles and falls in the water, pick them up and narrate what you saw: ” You fell in the water,” and/or ” Your hair and face are wet.” Your child will pick up on your reaction, so take deep breaths yourself. If you’re afraid, so will your child.
Tips prior to lessons
1. Do not use floatations in the water. Let your child learn how their body moves in the water without assistance from floatations.
2. No need for praise. Narrate or “sportscast” what you see them do in the water.
3. Limit toys and other distractions.
4. Minimize chill time. The Kodiak pool is generally kept at 80 degrees, which is considered a cooler temperature. Young children under one get cold quickly.
To check their temperature, Press the bottom of the child’s heel with your thumb, and it will turn white; release and count the number of seconds it takes for the heel to return to normal color. At five to six seconds, the child begins to get chilled. If your child is getting chilled, then consider leaving or taking a break. To warm the child, get out of the water, press them against your body, and wrap them in a towel.
Is Alaska Otter Babies a non-profit?
The short answer is no. Alaska Otter Babies is not a non-profit yet. We have partnered with the CAST Water Safety non-profit 501 3(c) to help us fundraise for Kodiak scholarships for this event only. All donations “For Kodiak” go to scholarships for those families needing assistance during this January training, and students who receive assistance will qualify for continuing lessons after this event.
Alaska Otter Babies is a collection of trainee instructors who will be certified by the Survival Swim Development Network at the end of the January session. Each training instructor is a private LLC responsible for maintaining individual certification, licensing, and insurance.
We aim to establish Alaska Otter Babies as a non-profit in the future. The mission of Alaska Otter Babies is to spread water safety to children four months to four plus years old and offer scholarships. Please contact us if you are interested in helping this dream come true.
Make a Donation Online or by mail
Why?
Does Kodiak need AOB?
- Kids don’t float, naturally, they will not float or turn themselves over in the water to rest on their backs, unless properly trained. Children under four do not have the body mass to keep their heads up out of water when they are on their stomachs for an extended period. When they get tired, their head falls into the water. Rolling to their backs is the only safe option for them to catch their breath.
- The number one cause of death for children under four is drowning. The number 1 state for children drowning in the US is Alaska.
- We’re on an island. Not just the ocean but the lakes and rivers cause a potential hazard for our children.
- Swim float swim is a program that teaches children four and under the lifelong skill of breath control in the water.
Fly-in vs. on-island instructor?
- Cost. Travel instructors not only have to pay for the expenses of traveling, but they also have to make enough to cover their at-home costs. So when the average session fee is $140 to $175 per child per week across the US. Kodiak is being charged $275 per child per week.
- The Kodiak money for traveling instructors is leaving the island.
- Missing follow-up training. Swim-float-swim is a survival skill; you must practice it like any other. After the 6-week session, children benefit by getting into the pool weekly to maintain their skills. Some parents don’t have it in their schedule to get in the water or maybe don’t feel comfortable in the water themselves to practice these skills. A steady instructor can help children maintain skills to build caution, confidence, and control in the water.
- Every six months, the child should undergo a two-week refresher course that refreshes existing skills and progresses skills to the next level. As a follow-up to the children who received training in fall 2023, the fly-in instructor offered to come out for a refresher. However, due to her limited availability to fly to the island, she could only get 7 out of 17 previous participants to fit into her schedule. Even after a generous citizen offered to cover flights and another citizen offered room and board, the instructor said it was not worth their time to come to the island for seven students.
Now?
- Every day, we have an untrained child in Kodiak, is a risk of a child drowning.
- To certify our Kodiak instructors, we need 20 or more children who have never been taught survival swimming. The more times we bring in an instructor, the smaller the pool of new students becomes available.
Community staple?
- Having an instructor on-island could give our children a lasting resource to develop caution, control, and confidence in the water.
- Children can have regular follow-up lessons to build life-saving skills.
What Families Are Saying
Questions? Join our Facebook community.
There is much information to absorb, and you might have the same questions as other caregivers. Consider joining our Facebook group to follow discussions about the upcoming session and efforts to make ISR a staple in our community.
Our ultimate goal is to bring ISR to Kodiak permanently. To do this, we need to organize and bring a Master ISR instructor for six weeks. This is a journey, and we hope you follow along on our Kodiak ISR Facebook to help make this happen.