Myrtle Beach students dive into water safety through free program offered by YMCA of Coastal Carolina, Tidelands Health

Second graders in Myrtle Beach will get life-saving lessons in water safety through a free program offered by the YMCA of Coastal Carolina in partnership with Tidelands Health.

More than 350 second graders at Myrtle Beach Primary School will participate in the Safety Around Water program at the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA in Myrtle Beach. The program focuses on water safety and self-rescue skills while reinforcing that water should be fun, not feared. 

As the exclusive health system partner of the YMCA of Coastal Carolina, Tidelands Health is helping support the expansion of the Safety Around Water program to Myrtle Beach. For more than a decade, the program – also known as YSplash! – has been offered to second graders in Georgetown County every fall at the Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA and the Tidelands Health Georgetown Family YMCA.

“In a beautiful coastal region like ours with the ocean and so many waterways, ponds and pools, it’s essential that children learn at an early age how to enjoy and be safe in and around the water,” said Dr. Lucretia Carter, pediatric medical director for Tidelands Health. “The Safety Around Water program builds water skills that will serve these kids for a lifetime. Tidelands Health is proud to support the expansion of this program to Myrtle Beach for the health and well-being of children now and for years to come.”

During the four-week program, students will learn essential skills including swimming and floating and techniques that help prevent drowning. Students will also learn about potentially dangerous rip currents and boat safety, as well as what to do and who to contact if there is an aquatic emergency. Safety Around Water starts April 15 at the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA.

“The YMCA of Coastal Carolina embodies the YMCA’s reputation as ‘America’s Swim Instructor’ by annually teaching hundreds of local children valuable water safety and swimming skills. We are proud to expand our Safety Around Water program to all second graders at Myrtle Beach Primary School while continuing our tradition of providing the program in Georgetown County,” said David Byrd, CEO of the YMCA of Coastal Carolina. “Now more than ever, it’s important to remind parents and caregivers that water safety needs to be top of mind as families start to return to their favorite summertime activities – many of them at the beach, pool or waterways.”

Thank you to our donors who made this program possible

Tidelands Health

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Lestingi and Melinda Grafton