954-357-SWIM (7946)
Broward County Commission's Primary Resource and Referral Service for Available Swim Programs in Cooperation With
Various Cities and Nonprofit Organizations
What It Is
SWIM Central is the coordinating agency for water-safety instruction and awareness in Broward County. It maintains the most comprehensive database in Florida for swimming pools and water-safety programs in the county.
It was one of the only programs of its type in the country when it was established in 1999. Other counties have now followed our lead.
Why It's Needed
There are thousands of swimming pools, beaches, canals, lakes, and other waterways in South Florida. Consequently, drowning is the number-one killer of children ages 4 and under. In the late 1990s, Broward County also reported an average of five drowning deaths per year among children ages 4 through 7, and near-drowning accidents left three out of four victims suffering brain damage.
SWIM Central helped change that.
Since SWIM Central started in 1999, parents and guardians have enrolled more than 601,000 children in SWIM Central programs, and more than 3,500,000 lessons have been provided. In fiscal year 2018, more than 31,532 Broward County children received water-safety instruction and education through public elementary schools, charter schools, and day-care centers.
How It Works
SWIM Central's curriculum-based programs provide 10 free 30-minute water-safety classes over a two-week period, taught by certified water-safety instructors during the school day who have been carefully selected and trained through SWIM Central.