Basics for safety in the water
The Water Safety Check (WSC) stands for basic water skills. The WSC certificate confirms that children can rescue themselves to the edge of the pool or shore after a fall into the water.
The Canadian Lifesaving Society has launched the Water Safety Check under the name Swim to Survive® BFU, Swimsports, and Swiss Aquatics have adapted the WSC for Switzerland. Further information can be found directly from Swiss Aquatics.
Anyone who wants to pass the WSC must complete the following tasks one after the other without interruption and without glasses, goggles or nose clips:
- Roll/tumble from the edge into deep water
- Stay afloat in one place for 1 minute
- Swim 50 meters and get out
An unexpected fall into the water can cause a change in body position. Therefore, for the first task, the children must "tumble" into deep water.
Before children swim frantically to save themselves, they need to gain orientation. To avoid panicking and aiming for the wrong, perhaps even more difficult, destination. Therefore, children must be able to stay afloat for one minute after falling.
Studies show that two-thirds of all drowning accidents occur within 15 meters or closer to the shore or pool edge. If children can swim 50 meters at a time, they have a good chance of saving themselves. Many outdoor and indoor pools require this ID card as soon as a child (from about 10 years of age) wants to go to the pool alone.
The Baar Swimming School supports this campaign and conducts tests for the WSC as follows (for children aged 10 and over):
| Date | Wednesday, July 9, 2025 |
| Location | Lättich Baar outdoor pool, whatever the weather! |
| Time | 11:30 – approx. 12:30 |
| Cost | CHF 10.– including ID (pay in cash or with TWINT) |
Registration by email:
Please bring a passport photo for your ID.