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Water Safety Stations

Surf City

We have added Water Safety Stations in Surf City with a partnership with Surf City Fire Department and Town of Surf City, NC. The Surf City Water Safety Stations feature:

1. Safety Signage with educational information, emergency instructions, and QR code that gives up to date beach forecast/rip current risk level
2. A Rescue Can flotation device
3. A Beach Warning Flag so visitors can quickly identify the current condition.

One-time Water Safety Station Sponsorships are available for a $250 donation to the Jack Helbig Memorial Foundation. Currently there are 30 sponsorships available. A plaque will be placed at the sponsor’s desired location, if available, naming the sponsor or in memory or honor of someone.

Surf City

Oak Island

Oak Island Water Safety Stations provide a rescue tube flotation buoy and educational sign at each public beach accesses on Oak Island, NC. 1 in 4 bystanders that attempt to rescue a drowning person in the ocean become a drowning fatality themselves, usually due to a lack of flotation device being the utilized.

JHMF is partnered with the Town of Oak Island to place rescue tubes at the beach accesses that can be used by a bystander attempting a rescue if they are unwilling or feel unable to wait for emergency personnel to arrive on scene. The rescue tubes have images and text in English and Spanish on what to do in an emergency. These tubes come from the Rescue Tube Foundation, a nonprofit based in Hawaii, whose rescue tubes are used on beaches around the world. Each station will also have an informational sign with a QR code that directs to the current beach condition as issued by NOAA and NWS. The sign also educates beachgoers on what beach condition flags mean, what to do in an emergency, and the access location of the water safety station.

One-time Water Safety Station Sponsorships are also available for Oak Island.  Contact us directly to learn how to sponsor a station at either location.

Oak Island Water Safety Stations
Oak Island Water Safety Stations

Swimming Lessons

Swim for life

Many people within our community often do not learn the critical water safety and swimming skills to keep them safe. The Y is working to address this important issue by offering Swim for Life, a free water safety and swimming program. With so many bodies of water throughout the Wilmington area, it is critical that we provide individuals with the basic knowledge of water safety to reduce the risk of drowning or injury.

Brunswick School of FISH

Brunswick School of FISH is a partnership between Brunswick Community College Sports & Aquatics Complex and the Jack Helbig Memorial Foundation.

Swim Scholarships will be provided for local children to take swimming lessons FREE of charge that have not been able to attend due to cost. After being chosen through an application process, they will then begin their eight week session of learning basic swimming and water safety skills that will help them be safer in and around the water.

Swim Lesson Providers

BRUNSWICK COUNTY

  1. Brunswick Community College Sports & Aquatics Complex: Private and group lessons available on an on-going basis, American Red Cross curriculum
    Phone: 910-846-2348
    Email: hartzella@brunswickcc.edu
  2. Brunswick County Parks & Recreation
         Lessons in summer
    Phone: 910-253-2670
  3. Michelle Ring:
         Phone: 910-617-8771
  4. Fort Caswell Summer Swim Program
    American Red Cross group lessons
    Phone: 910-278-9501
  5. The Mobile Mermaid: Kasia Foltyn
    Phone: 910-707-3707
    Email: 1tallmermaid@gmail.com
         Serving Brunswick + Southeast NC

NEW HANOVER COUNTY

  1. Aquatic Adventures NC Clinton Donald
         Phone: 910-742-8671
    Email: info@aquaticadventures.com
  2. EveryBODY Swim Renee Murphy
    Phone: 910-540-2161
    Email: wilmingtonswimpt@gmail.com
  3. Wilmington Swim Academy
         Email: wsaswimcamp@gmail.com
  4. YMCA of Southeastern NC
    Group lessons, community swim & water safety lessons
    Phone: 910-251-8196 x235
    Email: priscilla.page@ymcasenc.org 
  5. UNCW Aquatic Center Learn to Swim Program
         American Red Cross Swim program
    Email: 2swim@uncw.edu
  6. Amanda Shrethra, ISR
         Phone: 910-431-9726
    Email: a.shrestha@infantswim.com
  7. Ann Fuerst, ISR
         Phone: 440-334-7112
    Email: a.fuerst@infantswim.com

Contact Us

Our Location

Phone: 910-477-0837

3181 George II Highway, Suite E
Southport, NC 28461

Email: info@jackhelbig.org