As part of its year- round education and advocacy efforts, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) works with the water safety community, including the pool industry, to prevent the tragedy of drowning.
NDPA provides free-to-download t o o l k i t s with pre- produced materials and resources; honors those actively working to protect children from drowning through its #WaterSafetyChampion campaign; and hosts the annual Water Safety Conference, which brings industry professionals and parent advocacy groups together to listen, learn, and work as an alliance to prevent drowning.
This summer, NDPA is reaching parents and caregivers with a new shareable public service video that reinforces the importance of the Five Layers of Protection and water competency as a #firstsport. Told from the perspective of five babies, the 60-second video was launched this month on social media @drownalliance and is an easy way for pool service professionals to help spread the word.
With both pool owners and professionals working together to spread the message about the importance of water safety and water safety measures, and with organizations such as the NDPA sharing resources, we can all work together to help ensure a safe and enjoyable water experience for everyone.
According to NDPA, which works to prevent childhood drowning through awareness and advocacy, the first step is dispelling five common drowning myths: 1. If a child is in distress in the water, they will be heard and there will be time to save them.
2. Watching a child during swimtime ensures their safety.
3. Having an adult present will keep a child safe.
4. Knowing how to swim means a child is water competent.
5.“It can’t happen to me.”
What We Know
So long as there is a water source accessible to a child, whether it is a pool, lake, beach, or bathtub, the risk of drowning is ever present.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranks drowning as the leading cause of death among children aged 1-4. Unlike in the movies, it can occur quickly and silently. In fact, close to 70% of drowning incidents involving young children occur during non-swimming times when a little one finds their way to a pool or open water undetected.
We also know that drowning is frequently accidental and preventable. However, no one water safety practice is fail-safe, and the NDPA advocates strongly for the implementation of multiple layers of protection to prevent tragedies and save lives.
In addition to its own public education efforts, NDPA relies on its partners, including those in the pool service industry to help share and spread the word on the importance of the Five Layers of Protection: 1. Barriers and Alarms: The installation of proper fencing and barriers limit a child’s access to pools and other water bodies.
2. Constant, Close and Capable Adult Supervision: A water watcher should be designated any time children are around a pool or open water.
3. Water Competency: More than half (54%) of children aged 4-17 in the United States are unable to perform basic water safety skills. Participation by children aged 1-4 in formal swimming lessons that include water competency survival skills significantly reduces the risk of drowning. Water competency skills include learning how to “flip and float” for infants and toddlers and how to swim parallel to shore to escape a rip current for older kids and teens.
4. Life Jackets: Ensure children wear appropriate life jackets when participating in open-water activities.
5. Emergency Preparedness:
Learn CPR with rescue breaths and always have ready access to a phone to call 911.
To learn more, visit www.ndpa.org. To download the Water Safety Season Toolkit, visit ndpa.org/ toolkit, to share NDPA’s #FirstSport video visit @ drownalliance on Instagram.
