Free ‘Josh the Otter’ pool program teaches kids how to float
The classes are hosted by local volunteers at the Palmer and Wasilla pools.
What you need to know:
- Free “Josh the Otter” water safety classes in Palmer and Wasilla this spring will teach young children how to float, stay calm and use life jackets — critical skills that can save lives. The first class is scheduled for April 18.
- The volunteer-led program is designed for young children and families, offering a simple, hands-on way for parents to help protect their children around water.
- Alaska has the highest drowning rate in the nation, and drowning is the leading cause of death for kids ages 2 to 6, making early water safety education especially important.
- Short on time but need the local news scoop? Get free weekly news in your inbox for Mat-Su, from Mat-Su.
A program led by volunteers in Mat-Su is working to stem the tide of drowning deaths by offering a free program in local pools that teaches children how to float.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alaska leads the nation in per capita drowning deaths, with an average of 4.4 deaths per 100,000 residents. That’s more than four times the national average and more than 30% higher than second-place Hawaii. Young children are particularly vulnerable, with drowning cited as the No. 1 cause of death for kids ages 2 to 6.
Rob Grogan and the Susitna Rotary Club are working to change that. For more than a decade, the club has partnered with the national “Josh the Otter” program to bring basic water safety education to Mat-Su youngsters.
“Every kid knows what to do if they’re on fire,” Grogan said earlier this month. “We want kids to know what to do around water, too.”
In support of that mission, the club will host a pair of free “Josh the Otter” water safety events at swimming pools in Palmer and Wasilla this spring. The sessions will feature instruction in water safety basics, the proper use of life jackets, also known as float coats, self-rescue techniques, and safe ways to float and stay calm in water.
The events are free, but children need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. They will be held at the Palmer Pool on April 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the Wasilla Pool on May 16 from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. Anyone wishing to sign up their child can learn more on Facebook or register online.
Grogan said the in-pool events are designed for children ages 3 to 6, but there is not a strict age cutoff.
“If they’re older, that’s fine. If they’re younger, as long as the parent is familiar with water, that’s fine, too.”
In the Mat-Su, Grogan said Rotarians visit schools across Mat-Su every year to help spread water safety basics, teaching kids to treat water with respect.
“We’ve managed to do all of the valley schools for 11 years now,” he said.
The Josh the Otter program is a nationwide initiative started by the family of Josh Collinsworth, a Nebraska child who drowned in 2008. Its mission is to educate children and adults around the world about water safety, and it frequently partners with local rotary clubs.
Collinsworth’s father, Blake, later wrote a book called “Josh the Baby Otter” to help children learn water safety concepts.
“The main objective is to reduce the number of kids who drown between the ages of 2 and 6,” Grogan said.
During the school programs, instructors stress three things to children: Don’t go around water without an adult; always wear a life jacket around water; and learn how to float.
It’s that third concept where the Josh the Otter events come in. Before hopping in the pool, children will be shown a brief video about water safety. They’ll then get into the water — wearing life jackets — to receive instruction on floating and keeping calm.
“Just like Josh the Baby Otter,” Grogan said.
Matt Tunseth is a freelance writer from Southcentral Alaska. Write to him at matthew.tunseth@gmail.com.