B.P.A. Joins Coast Guard & B.D.F. to Teaching Swimming

This past week, twenty-two students from Belize City took part in free swimming lessons. The event was organized by the Belize Port Authority, which teamed up with the Belize Defense Force and the Belize Coast Guard. The lessons took place at the Y.W.C.A. swimming pool on Saint Thomas Street and today the children received their certificates of completion. Acting Ports Commissioner, Kaylon Young told News Five that they decided on a maritime activity since it is not taught in the regular school setting, and Coast Guard Training Officer told us about the different components of the training.  

 

Kaylon Young, Acting Ports Commissioner

“The Belize Port Authority along with the Belize Coast Guard and the Belize Defense Force, we developed a curriculum for summer camp and we planned the entire thing collaboratively.  And so we’ve executed it at several different locations and this is just one of them. Things that teach them seamanship, things that if they go to sea if they want to be a fisherman, if they want to be a boat captain, if they want to work on board a ship, it’s just to get them excited about the maritime field.”

 

Lieutenant Junior Grade Otto Garcia, Training Officer, Belize Coast Guard

“The Coast Guard assisted with the instructor. The instructor was part of the entire week and they did, um, basic knots and ties, basic CPR they learn about, safety at sea and those things that the kids should know. Everybody should know the basics of maritime safety. And one of the things that you teach the kids is how to breathe, how to do bubbles, and depending on level that they are, in terms of swimming, then you would be able to better teach them. And if you see, most of the kids are with the, what we call noodles, and that’s what they use if they’re just starting to swim and teach them different techniques.”