Mass State Police want New Bedford kids to be safe and swim-ready for summer.
NEW BEDFORD — Just in time before swimming weather gets into full swing on the SouthCoast, the Massachusetts State Police dive team, also known as the Underwater Recovery Unit, took a trip to New Bedford recently to provide some beginner swimming and water safety lessons at the YMCA pool.
After piloting a kids' swimming and water safety program at headquarters last year, it was the MSP dive team's first time taking it on the road.
"In 2022 we had children from the Framingham and Boston areas participate at our headquarters, but bussing kids in from a great distance is always difficult," said MSP Major Jim Grasso.
"So the idea was to have our dive team travel and be able to assist more kids in other areas."
The dive team's two-day New Bedford run on April 19-20 took advantage of city schools' week off for spring break and featured basic instruction on swimming and water skills, activities, and the groups of 7- to 13-year-olds got a free lunch from Popeye's Chicken in New Bedford.
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Kid-friendly approach to a serious need
"We were trying to impart on the children the dangers of water, encourage water safety and introduce them to swimming in a fun environment," Grasso said, though noting that despite the emphasis on fun, at the heart of the matter is a gravely serious cause.
Recalling the tragic loss of Worcester Police Officer Enmanuel "Manny" Familia in June of 2021 as he tried to rescue a teenager drowning in a pond, Grasso said, "We understand the need for this with all the drowning events and water safety hazards that children encounter in the warmer weather months, so we're trying to do our part."
Why New Bedford?
While the program's first run away from headquarters could have landed anywhere in the state, it seems New Bedford benefitted from the personal connection that MSP Trooper Jessie Walker has with the city.
"I'm trying to bring as many programs to the New Bedford area and the inner cities as possible," said Walker, who MSP has designated as a community liaison for Southeastern Mass. "Being born and raised in New Bedford, I understand the relationships we have with law enforcement here and the need to build good ones."
Something for summer?
According to Grasso, MSP is currently in discussions with troop liaisons about the possibility of kids' summer swim/water safety programming, and Walker says there's already talks of more local programming for this time next year in order to prep kids for the 2024 swimming season.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Mass State Police divers teach kids safe swimming at New Bedford YMCA
