Safe Entry (EN)

INTRODUCTION

The Safe Entry skill is a method of entering aquatic environments in a safe and controlled manner. It is characterized by sitting before entering and rotating to maintain three points of contact with stable ground while moving into the water. Becoming proficient with Safe Entry develops Safe Entry Competency and Risk Competency, and it is the method of entry that we encourage everyone, both instructors and students, to use during aquatic safety education.

It is important to note that the Safe Entry skill is not the only possible way to safely enter aquatic environments. (Consider how you might approach a zero-depth beach entry for example.) However, seated entries provide some important safety benefits, especially when compared to other types of entries such as stride entries or head first entries. Sitting results in a slower pace of entry, and encourages individuals to take a moment to observe the environment, look for hazards such as rocks, currents, or other people, and identify possible exit strategies. Sitting also provides stability, which is particularly important for environments with ledges, such as pools, where slipping and hitting an edge is likely to cause injury. Easing into the water at a slower pace also reduces the likelihood of injury due to hitting the bottom of a shallow environment or a protruding rock.

Compared to other seated entry methods, the Safe Entry Skill in particular has unique benefits due to its arm placement. Placing both hands to one side, and then rotating so that the arms are in front of the body provides a stable position with three points of contact (i.e. both hands on the top of the deck, and the feet and/or stomach against the wall). This stable position enables individuals to safely and easily control their transition into the water.

When first learning how to enter aquatic environments, rather than practicing specific actions to enter at any one location, the focus should be on developing habits that promote safety across all environments. This includes scanning the environment for hazards as well as identifying where and how to exit before entering any body of water. It also includes putting an emphasis on stability and control while transitioning from solid ground into the water. Maintaining three points of contact with a solid surface will provide stability, and should be prioritized not only for individuals first learning how to enter, but for all experience levels. As individuals become comfortable entering the water, a conscious effort should be made to become proficient at recovering to a stable position at the surface after an entry. Recovering to the surface is critical for survival in the case of an unintentional entry, and it is an important aspect in the development of Safe Entry Competency. Regardless of how comfortable an individual is in the water, or how proficient they are with the Safe Entry skill, the ability to recover to the surface must be mastered before other types of entries, such as jump, stride, or head first entries, can be introduced and attempted.