SwimEasy.Net - SwimSafer™ 2.0

SwimSafer is a new national water safety programme initiated by the National Water Safety Council (NWSC), in collaboration with the Singapore Sports Council and was launched on 18 March 2010. The NWSC was appointed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) in 2007 to oversee water safety matters in Singapore. The SwimSafer programme consists of six-stage progressive programme will help children of all ages and abilities develop water safety and swimming skills at their own pace through a positive, fun learning experience. SwimSafer is an improvement of the existing National Survival Swimming Award (NASSA) and Learn-To-Swim (LTS) Programme.

In 19 Feb 2018, the programme was revamped and became SwimSafer 2.0, the enhanced programme, will provide participants with a more rigourous water survival and swimming competency programme. The revamped programme comes with a revised syllabus and assessment approach, together with enhanced instructor quality through training and re-certification to provide quality learning for participants. It also incorporates an online quiz on water safety knowledge for participants to consolidate their learning.

Visit SwimSafer Singapore’s only official website for more information.

SwimSafer™ 2.0 Programme

SwimSafer™ 2.0 programme consists of a progressive six-stage programme.

Stage 1: Introduction to Water Skills
The objective is develop confidence and independence in the water, learn general and deep-end water safety. Techniques taught include the forward and backward movement, safe entry and exit and personal water safety.
1. Enter the water with slide-in entry
2. Swim on the back 5m (alternating arms and legs or simultaneous arms and legs)
3. Submerge head in water, open eyes, blow bubbles and identify object on pool floor (w/o goggles)
4. Front float for 5 seconds and recover
5. Back float for 5 seconds and recover
6. Swim 10m (alternating arms and legs or simultaneous arms and legs)
7. Signal distress and call for help (w/o goggles)
8. Grasp the float and float for 10 seconds (w/o goggles)
9. Move (with the float) to the pool edge
10. Exit safely from water
1. Correctly fit a PFD, jump into water
2. Float for 30 seconds, and then climb out of the water
Stage 2: Fundamental Water Skills
General skill development including unassisted step entry into water, sculling, feet first surface dives, personal water safety skills as well as water safety in aquatic environments. One of the goals is to achieve 25 metres of continuous swimming.
1. Swim 25m on the front (alternating arms and legs or simultaneous arms and legs)
2. Swim 15m on the back (alternating arms and legs or simultaneous arms and legs)
1. Step-in entry
2. Front float for 10 sec, swim 5m on front and rollover
3. Back float for 10 sec, swim 5m on back Scull, float or tread water for 30 sec
4. Scull, float or tread water for 30 sec
5. Recover an object (in chest deep water). Resurface and exit safely from pool
1. Swim 15m using any survival stroke and exit safely from the pool
2. Then, correctly fit a PFD and jump into the water (at least 1.4m deep), swim 25m with PFD, then climb out of the water
Stage 3: Personal and Stroke Development Skills
Entry skills such as the stride jump will be taught. Skills include sculling, underwater skills and putting on a personal flotation device (PFD) whilst in water and swimming with it. One of the goals is to achieve 50 metres of continuous swimming.
1. 25m front crawl and
2. 25m backstroke
1. Stride/straddle entry (in deep water)
2. Swim 25m survival backstroke and
3. 25m breaststroke
4. Scull head-first on the back for 5m and recover
5. Scull, float or tread for 50 sec
6. Swim through hoops on pool bottom for 2m, resurface and exit pool safely
1. Swim 25m using survival backstroke or breaststroke to a PFD (face clear of water)
2. Correctly fit a PFD in water, swim 50m with PFD, then climb out of the water
Stage 4: Personal Survival and Stroke Improvement Skills (Bronze)
Development of student’s stroke techniques is a focus here, along with coordinated breathing in deep water. This stage sees the introduction of throw rescues and more personal survival skills. One of the goals is to achieve 100 metres of a variety of strokes.
1. 25m Front Crawl
2. 25m Backstroke
3. 25m Breaststroke
4. 25m Survival Backstroke
1. Compact jump entry (in deep water)
2. Forward somersault
3. Scull, Float or Tread water for 2 min
4. In 1.4m deep water, perform feet-first surface dive
5. Swim through hoops on pool bottom for 2m, resurface and exit safely from pool
1. 3 min swimming slowly using survival backstroke, sidestroke and survival breaststroke changing every 15m
2. Wave and call for help
3. Throw a flotation aid to a partner 2m away
4. Swim to a flotation aid and kick to pool’ s edge, then climb out of water
Stage 5: Intermediate Personal Survival and Stroke Refinement Skills (Silver)
Fundamentals of diving will be introduced. Development of personal survival knowledge will continue with a situational context of swimming quickly away from a sinking boat. Students will be required to demonstrate efficient stroke techniques by swimming a variety of strokes over 200 metres within a given time frame.
1. 50m Front Crawl (≤1:30 min)
2. 50m Breaststroke (≤1:50 min)
3. 50m Backstroke (≤1:40 min)
4. 25m Sidestroke
5. 25m Survival Backstroke
6. Dolphin kick 10m on front
1. Straddle jump entry
2. Backward somersault
3. Submerge feet first surface dive
4. Swim through hoops on pool bottom for 3m and resurface
5. Swim 45m quickly using front crawl
6. Wave and call for help
7. Throw a PFD to a partner 3m away
8. Retrieve a PFD in water and fit it while treading water
9. Demonstrate Heat Escape Lessening Posture (H.E.L.P.) technique for 30 sec
10. Then swim 25m with PFD and climb out of the water
Stage 6: Advance Personal Survival and Swimming Skill Proficiency (Gold)
Students will be required to perform a variety of strokes with efficiency over 400 metres within a given time frame for each stroke. Personal survival skills like making use of clothing to make a personal floatation device and swimming with them, putting on a life jacket in water and demonstrating the Heat Escape Lessening Posture technique will be taught.
1. 100m Front Crawl (≤3:00 min)
2. 100m Breaststroke (≤4:00 min)
3. 100m Backstroke (≤3:20 min)
4. 50m Survival Backstroke
5. 50m Sidestroke
6. 15m Butterfly
1. Compact jump entry in deep water
2. Head-first surface dive to a depth of at least 1.8m (and perform ear equalisation, if necessary)
3. Swim through hoops on pool bottom for 5m and resurface
4. Swim 45m quickly using front crawl
5. Swim 50m using any preferred survival swim stroke
6. Remove pants in deep water and make a float with it while treading water within 5 min
7. Demonstrate Heat Escape Lessening Posture (H.E.L.P.) technique with the self-made float for 1 min
8. Swim 25m with the self-made float and climb out of the water

The SwimSafer™ 2.0 programme consists of the following categories:

Entries and Exits
Sculling and Body Orientation
Underwater Skills
Movement/Swimming/Strokes
Survival Skills
Rescue Skills
Knowledge