Hundreds of Canberran kids will be equipped with basic water safety skills this term thanks to the generosity of the Canberra Labor Club.

The in_class Water Smart program was developed specifically to give primary school aged children the skills and knowledge to be able to save their own, or someone else's, life in the event they get into trouble in the water. "However for some families, the cost of the three 45-minute classes simply wouldn't fit into the family budget, so the Canberra Labor Club stepped in to pay for more than 1,000 primary school aged children to have the lessons provided free," Royal Life Saving ACT Executive Officer Sean Hodges said.

"So individual children weren't singled out, the Club generously offered to pay for all the primary school age children at participating ACT schools. "When a friend or family member is in trouble in the water, most children want to dive straight into help. This course gives them the skills to rescue someone from the safety of dry land. They learn how to use buoyant rescue aids and weighted ropes if proper equipment is available, or how to improvise with branches, poles and clothing as rescue tools if there isn't equipment on hand. They also learn resuscitation skills.

"We know that giving children the skills and knowledge before they face a dangerous water situation is like providing them with an immunization; it provides a lifetime of protection against common risks that can lead to a drowning death."