Inuvik (Nov 24/06) - Falling out of a boat is not only surprising, but dangerous, too, if you don't know how to swim. That's why students from Sir Alexander Mackenzie school are being taught the proper methods of staying afloat.

The program, dubbed "Swim to survive," focuses on building skills that are necessary for survival in water.

Lifeguard Rob Smith said statistics show that a large percentage of drownings are accidental, so the course is good for preparing for the unexpected.

"The course is also very relevant in this region," said Smith.

"People are always on the land in their boats, so this information is good for the younger ones."

The course uses positive reinforcement to help students build confidence in their abilities.

Smith explained that once a person has fallen in the water, they must be able to orient themselves quickly.

A drill involved the students being rolled into the water and then treading for a while, staying afloat in one place for a minute.

"This way they know where they are from the shore and have a second to prepare for the swim ahead," said Smith.

After the students were in the water for a minute or two, they swam the distance of the pool lane, which is about 50 metres.

Smith said the distance is important, because it gives them a goal to reach for.

"Also, you're almost never more than 50 metres away from getting out of the water," he said.

"It's just a really good basic course to learn from."

Chris Church, one of the students who participated in the pilot program, said he enjoys boating with his family and knows the information will come in handy in the summer months.

"We learned about survival skills in water, which is important," he said.

Church said the course was good for people who might not have experience in water.

"It's for if you fell out of your boat and don't know what to do," he said.

Kim Stringer is the lucky teacher who brought her class into the pool for the first trial of the program in Inuvik.

"There were six classes, we drew from a hat and I got to take my class in first," said Stringer.

"I loved the course, it helped the students learn how to react to those situations," she said.

After the course was done, the class was able to spend some time on the water slide.

The Swim to Survive program is also available to other groups in town. Call the family centre for more information.