We love empowering our staff and partners to create safe and confident experiences for children on and around the water.

Recently, our team had the incredible opportunity to take part in water safety training facilitated by the NSRI team which was held at Herzlia High School indoor pool.  We would like to THANK Herzlia for hosting us for this important training session.

“I thought I knew how to swim before my one-day survival swimming course in a heated pool, but that single day completely changed how I see the water.

“It started with the most humbling lesson – learning how to stay calm when you first go under and your body wants to panic, and how to flip onto your back to float and control your breathing. Within just a few hours I went from struggling to keep my head above water to learning how to tread water for minutes without wasting energy, float with minimal movement, and get myself out even when I was tired.

The most intense part of the day was the rescue training where we had to use a buoy to save both a conscious and an unconscious person, learning how to approach safely, keep them calm and afloat, and tow them to the edge without putting ourselves at risk. That’s when it really clicked – survival isn’t about perfect technique, it’s about staying calm, saving your energy, and knowing how to help someone else.

“One intense day, but I left with real confidence and a deep respect for how those simple skills can save a life.”

– Anika Mtyelwa: YES Program Intern