El Paso swim instructor teaches children how to survive in the water

EL PASO, Texa (KVIA) --  As the Borderland continues to face triple-digit temperatures, one local instructor is teaching kids survival skills. 

Deanna Gutierrez teaches children what to do if they find themselves in the water unexpectedly. 

Gutierrez is a certified Infant Swimming Resource instructor. She is one of three instructors in El Paso. 

ISR is not your traditional swim curriculum. Instructors work one-on-one with each child for 10 minutes a day for six weeks. 

“So I teach children what to do if they find themselves alone in the water. If they fall in, if someone's turned around, maybe, and they don't realize it, they, have gone in where they've been pushed in something like that. Infants, I teach them to hold their breath, turn around, and float. Basically, be calm in the water until someone comes and gets them," the instructor said. 

Gutierrez said each student is different. 

“Some, some kids just have it in their blood. Honestly, other kids take a little longer. They struggle a little bit more, but I'm very patient. And so however long they need, I'm here for them,” Gutierrez said. 

The ISR program focuses on teaching students fundamentals such as swimming and floating in the water. She said it can be scary initially, but it's part of the process. 

"Eventually they stop crying because they realize that they can do it," she said.

ISR students are taught survival training through real-life scenarios. Children wear clothes during lessons to simulate what may occur if they fall in the water. 

Kristen Rios, a Borderland mother of three, said it was critical for her students to learn how to swim since she has a swimming pool in her backyard. 

“It's really important to make sure your kids know how to survive. If they fall on the pool, and then if they're ever going to be in a pool or be by a pool, or be by a body of water, they'll just make you feel more comfortable, confident in their abilities. They'll feel more confident in their abilities," Rios said. 

She said knowing these skills can be the difference between life and death. 

“I think I feel confident. I just had one child, and, I always sat right at the edge of the pool. I felt like I was involved, and it's only ten minutes a day, so I probably felt maybe a little anxiety in general. But once I was there, right next to the pool, I felt very close to Deanna and my son. And so, it didn't feel scary after that. And he grew so fast in the water like he was swimming, a year that year and a half old, and he was just swimming to the wall, and it was really magical," she said. 

IRS is typically for children between six months of age and six years, but Gutierrez said she also teaches adults. 

Her next session begins on Monday, August 19th. Some spots are still open. If you would like more information, you can e-mail d.guiterrez@infantswim.com.