Splash into Safety

Splash Into Safety is a mobile drowning prevention and swim instruction program that brings water safety education to children in rural and underserved communities without access to aquatic facilities. The program uses a portable, trailer-transported pool that is assembled on-site by community partners and volunteers. Each deployment is inspected and approved by a licensed pool contractor and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to ensure safety and proper operation. Once cleared, the Summerville Family YMCA provides week-long swim and water safety lessons for children ages 5–12. The program offers affordable, $1 lessons taught by certified YMCA instructors, helping expand access to lifesaving swim skills across multiple rural counties in South Carolina.

The Splash Into Safety program was formed through a public-private partnership in 2021 between the Summerville Family YMCA, Summerville Medical Center, Dorchester and Colleton County Parks & Recreation to address rising childhood drowning concerns. The Summerville Family YMCA leads swim instruction, while Dorchester and Colleton County Parks & Recreation and Summerville Medical Center support logistics, supplies, setup, and community outreach. This collaboration created a model focused on reducing childhood drowning through coordinated public health and community education efforts which has since been adopted by other programs.

• CDC ranks SC 9th highest in US for pediatric drownings
• Leading cause of death for ages 1-4
• Drowning is silent and can happen in as little as 20 seconds
• Formal swimming lessons reduces the likelihood of childhood drowning by 88%
• when comparing 2020-2022 (most recent data) to 2019, children ages 1-4’s drowning rate increased by 28%

Splash into Safety has been overwhelmingly positive. Since its launch in 2023, the program has taught more than 500 children how to swim and understand basic water safety principles. Demand for the program continues to grow, with an increasing number of communities requesting that the mobile pool be brought to their area.

The initiative has also received significant recognition, including:

• 2024 South Carolina House of Representatives Resolution
• 2024 Colleton County Council Proclamation
• 2024 Dorchester County Council Proclamation
• 2024 Town of Summerville Proclamation
• 2023 South Carolina Parks & Recreation Association Award for Programming Excellence
• 2023 Outstanding Safety Achievement Award from the South Carolina Association of Counties
• 2023 South Carolina Healthcare Heroes Award for Community Engagement
• 2023 Carolinas Healthcare PR & Marketing Society Golden Tusk Award for Special Events