‘PARTNERING WITH THE NDPA’
Water safety education is a critical component of preventing drowning incidents and promoting a culture of safety in and around the water. The National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) is at the forefront of the mission of water safety and drowning prevention. You can find multiple valuable resources at ndpa.org to empower communities, schools, and individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to prevent drowning incidents.
The Back-to-School Toolkit
The Back-to-School Toolkit is a recent addition to the NDPA’s resources available to everyone. While this toolkit has been created with teachers and parents in mind, pool service professionals can use this information to share with your clients and provide them with additional tools and support.
This is a comprehensive package designed to assist schools in effectively incorporating water safety education into the classroom. Water safety doesn’t end when summer is over, and incorporating this into the classroom helps to reinforce ways to be safer in and around the water. This toolkit also provides ed-ucators with the necessary materials to integrate water safety lessons into their current curriculum.
Advocacy is a powerful tool for change, and NDPA recognizes the importance of engaging with school boards to prioritize water safety education. To help concerned individuals, parents, and teachers, NDPA has created a persuasive letter (a school administration letter) to add water safety education to the fire safety education and periodic practice into the current curriculum.
There are also book recommendations for both the classroom and for parents. Parents can help share this information with their child’s teacher, and they in turn can share the school administration letter. This letter helps share why water safety is important and why it needs to be taught and practiced year-round. Book Recommendations
Parent handouts have also been created to be sent home with children to help spread the awareness of good water safety practices. These have been created for different seasons with the first being the back-to-school water safety newsletter. Along with the parent handouts, there are book recommendations. These books can be read both in the classroom and at home.
All of the books listed have links for easy purchase. Some can be purchased directly from the organization that published them, others through places like Amazon. One can purchase multiple copies and keep one at home and send another with the child to be read during their school day. Teachers are always looking for more books to add to their collection, and these books are a fantastic addition.
Other NDPA Website Resources
One of the goals for NDPA is to be a hub of information to share with everyone. Whether you are a teacher, parent, advocate, or community member, there are other resources available to you. For parents, hiring a caregiver is a big undertaking, and keeping your children safe is a top priority. The Caregiver Water Safety Checklist is a great list to add when talking with caregivers, and it includes a water safety pledge on the second page.
Finding the right swim program for families is important, and swimming lessons should be year-round. Following along the swim lesson decision tree can help one find the right place and program. There is also a swim program checklist to help make the right decision that is in both English and Spanish. This can help compare facilities and programs.
National Water Safety Conference
If you are still looking to learn more about water safety, join the NDPA in February, 2024 for the National Water Safety Conference. This conference is held in conjunction with the Association of Aquatic Professionals (AOAP) in Reno, Nevada, from February 12-15. This conference brings together experts, educators, community leaders, and advocates from around the nation to share insights, best practices, and strategies for drowning prevention. The NWSC provides a platform for networking, learning, and collaboration with people in the aquatics field.
Through a series of presentations, interactive sessions, the exhibit hall, and more, attendees gain valuable insights and knowledge that can be applied to their respective communities and organizations. The NWSC serves as an embodiment of NDPA’s commitment to collaboration and action in pursuit of drowning prevention and water safety.
Through the diverse range of resources, NDPA helps to empower individuals, schools, communities, and organizations with the tools and resources available to everyone.
As we collectively work toward reducing the devastating impact of drowning incidents, these resources serve as powerful vehicles for change. By utilizing this knowledge and tools, we can create a safer future for generations to come, ensuring that everyone has the skills and awareness necessary to enjoy aquatic environments responsibly and confidently.
