*This page is in progress and will be continuously updated with additional resources
Water Smart® Advocate Course
The Water Smart® Advocate course serves as an accessible gateway program to community safety education. Whether you are a parent, educator, or neighbour, this course empowers you to identify risks and proactively prevent drowning incidents.
New Membership Requirement
To ensure the continuous safety and awareness of our community spaces, the Mahogany HOA will be utilizing the Water Smart® Advocate Course to introduce a mandatory safety education requirement for all residents seeking access to the Beach Club.
- New Residents (Starting July 2026): Any new residents wishing to secure their initial membership access must first complete this free online course and provide their certificate of completion to the Mahogany HOA.
- Existing Members (Deadline July 2027): Residents who currently hold active membership access will be required to complete the course and submit their certificate of completion to the Mahogany HOA by July 2027 to avoid any disruption to their facility access.
Course Benefits
- Zero Cost: The course is completely free of charge.
- No Barriers: There are no prerequisites required to register.
- Flexible Learning: This is a self-paced, digital learning experience designed to fit your family's schedule.
- Certified Status: Earn your official credentials as a community public safety safety champion.
Course Architecture & Curriculum
The program is broken down into 17 short lessons inside five simple topics. To help you remember what you learn, each part ends with a quick, mandatory quiz to check your knowledge.
-
Session 1
(5 Lessons) -
Session 2
(3 Lessons) -
Session 3
(3 Lessons) -
Session 4
(4 Lessons) -
Session 5
(2 Lessons)
-
Welcome
Knowledge-Check Quiz Included -
Being Water Smart® in Water
Knowledge-Check Quiz Included -
Being Water Smart® On and Around Water
Knowledge-Check Quiz Included -
Water Smart® Practices
Knowledge-Check Quiz Included -
Course Closure
Receive Your Certificate of Completion
- An introduction to the course, a look at drowning numbers, and how to speak up for safety.
- Rules for watching children closely, keeping your home safe, and protecting toddlers.
- Safety rules for boats, winter ice safety tips, and charts showing safe ice thickness.
- How to pick the right lifejackets, how to spot a swimmer in trouble, and next steps for advanced training.
- Putting your new safety skills together and taking the official safety promise pledge.
Safety Lessons You Will Master
The course focuses on four everyday areas to help prevent incidents before they happen:
- Watching Children Closely: Learn why simply sitting nearby is a major risk for kids. You will learn the rule to keep children within arm's reach at all times when they are near water.
- Boat & Vessel Safety: Learn how to safely prepare small boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. You will review basic water rules, markers, and how to call for emergency help. You will also focus on the golden rule of water safety: everyone must wear a lifejacket at all times on the water, because by the time you realize you need a lifejacket, it is already too late to put it on.
- Winter Weather & Ice Dangers:Cold weather brings unique risks. You will learn how to check ice conditions, which change quickly based on temperature, moving water currents, and depth. The course teaches you how to measure ice thickness and why you should avoid walking on winter ice alone.
- Spotting Someone in Trouble: Drowning is usually completely silent and easy to miss. You will learn to spot the physical signs of distress and what to do in an emergency or rescue situation without putting yourself or others in danger. You will also learn the easy "Flip, Float and Follow" steps if you everfall into deep or moving water unexpectedly.
