Free ‘Josh the Otter’ Pool Program Teaches Kids How to Float
Contributed by Matt Tunseth, Mat-Su Sentinel
With more than 3 million lakes, 12,000 rivers and 6,640 miles of coastline, Alaska is awash in water. From the icy fjords of Southeast to the massive rivers of the Interior, these diverse waterways are a vital piece of daily life in the Last Frontier.
But hidden beneath the surface of these lifelines lies an uncomfortable truth: They’re one of the state’s most deadly features.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, Alaska leads the nation in per capita drowning deaths, with an average of 4.4 deaths per 100,000 residents. That’s more than four times the national average and more than 30 percent higher than second-place Hawai’i. Young children are particularly vulnerable, with drowning cited as the No. 1 cause of death for kids ages 2 to 6.
Rob Grogan and the Susitna Rotary Club are working to change that. For more than a decade, the club has partnered with the national “Josh the Otter” program to bring basic water safety education to Mat-Su youngsters.
“Every kid knows what to do if they’re on fire,” Grogan said earlier this month. “We want kids to know what to do around water, too.”
In support of that mission, the club will host a pair of free “Josh the Otter” water safety events at swimming pools in Palmer and Wasilla this spring. The sessions will feature instruction in water safety basics, the proper use of life jackets, also known as float coats, self-rescue techniques and safe ways to float and stay calm in water. The events are free, but children do need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Grogan said the in-pool events are designed for children ages 3-6, but there’s not a strict age cutoff.
“If they’re older, that’s fine. If they’re younger, as long as the parent is familiar with water, that’s fine too.”
In the Mat-Su, Grogan said Rotarians visit schools across the Valley every year to help spread water safety basics, teaching kids to treat water with respect.
“We’ve managed to do all of the Valley schools for 11 years now,” he said.
Events will be held at the Palmer Pool, April 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the Wasilla Pool May 16 from 12:45-2:15 p.m. Anyone wishing to sign up their child can visit the event page on Facebook or go to https://tinyurl.com/3967pbrh
The Josh the Otter program is a nationwide initiative started by the family of Josh Collinsworth, a Nebraska child who drowned in 2008. Its mission is to educate children and adults around the world about water safety, and it frequently partners with local Rotary Clubs. Collinsworth’s father, Blake, later wrote a book called “Josh the Baby Otter” to help children learn water safety concepts.
“The main objective is to reduce the number of kids that drown between the ages of 2 and 6,” Grogan said.
During the school programs, instructors have three things they stress to children: Don’t go around water without an adult; always wear a life jacket around water; and learn how to float.
It’s that third concept where the Josh the Baby Otter events come in. Before hopping in the pool, children will be shown a brief video about water safety. They’ll then get into the water – wearing life jackets – to receive instructions on floating and keeping calm.
“Just like Josh the Baby Otter,” Grogan said.
Matt Tunseth is a freelance writer from Southcentral Alaska. Write to him at matthew.tunseth@gmail.com