Water safety is a lifelong endeavor, but it only takes a few minutes to learn these 5 Layers of Protection. You never know which layer will save a life!
Are you ready to dive into water safety? Look no further than the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™. This annual event brings together swimmers of all ages and skill levels for one important cause: drowning prevention. This incredible event, held across multiple cities, countries and continents, is more than just a fun day at the pool. It’s an opportunity to spread awareness about water safety and teach life-saving skills that can make all the difference in an emergency situation.
The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ has become a global movement, with over 50,000 participants each year. From beginners to seasoned pros, everyone is encouraged to participate in this incredible event highlighting the importance of swim lessons and drowning prevention education.
Here are some facts to get ready for this important event:
Millions of children missed the opportunity to participate in formal swimming lessons in the past couple of years due to the pandemic, creating an urgent need for water safety training and swim lessons this summer. TEAM WLSL™ is getting back on deck to send the message Swimming Lessons Save Lives™ to help prevent childhood drowning and teach families how to Be Water Aware.
The 2023 World’s Largest Swimming Lesson will offer hundreds of aquatic centers, swim schools, and waterparks the chance to focus on the urgency of getting kids in the water and help raise awareness about drowning and the fact that swimming is a vital life-saving skill that every child should learn.
What is exciting about the WLSL event is that many organizations and individual aquatic facilities are coming together to make it happen. The WLSL helps capture all our passion for this critical issue as individuals and focuses all that energy on one message for one day.
Drowning is a public health crisis. In the U.S., it’s the leading cause of accidental death for kids ages 1-4 and the second leading cause for kids 14 and under. Yet, a large percentage of adults don’t recognize this risk or provide the right layers of protection to prevent drowning.
Internationally, the World Health Organization estimates drowning is one of the top five causes of death for people ages 1-14 in 48 of the 85 countries it monitors around the globe. Swimming is a vital life-saving skill.
According to a 2020 research study conducted by the American Red Cross, more than half (54%) of U.S. kids ages 4-17 are not able to perform the basic water safety skills that can save their life.
More fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents occur in the U.S. during June than in any other month.
Nearly 80% of drowning victims are male. Also, African-American children age 5 to 19 drown at rates 5.5 times higher than Caucasian children. This disparity is greatest among those 11-12 years where African Americans drown in swimming pools at rates ten times those of Caucasians.
Drowning is predictable, incredibly fast and quiet: Most children who drown are out of sight for less than 5 minutes. Drowning can occur in as little as two minutes and victims do not signal for help. In addition, 70% of drownings happen during non-swim times.
Research shows participation in formal swimming lessons by kids ages 1-4 can significantly reduce the risk of drowning, yet many children still do not participate in formal water safety training or swimming lessons.
The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends swim lessons as a layer of protection against drowning for many children beginning at age 1.
The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ was created in 2010 as a platform to support public education about safer water practices and to build awareness about the critical importance of teaching children to swim to help prevent drowning.
Since its inception, more than 320,000 children and adults have participated in life-saving WLSL lessons, generating more than two BILLION media impressions about the vital importance of learning to swim.
TEAM WLSL™ has set five multi-venue and three single venue Guinness® World Records since the program began in 2010.
TEAM WLSL™ is on a mission to make sure every parent understands the critical importance of teaching kids to swim and how to Be Water Aware to prevent drowning.
Show your support by sharing this important message.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/NDPA-Blog-Posts-9.png415738Guillermina Ramirezhttps://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NDPA_Logo_RGB_ForWeb.pngGuillermina Ramirez2023-05-15 08:00:002023-05-16 09:21:50The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ 2023
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA: Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children aged 1 – 4 years and the majority of the children that drown in swimming pools most commonly gain access to the pool area when there is no fence or through a faulty fence or gate.
Combined with constant child supervision and other layers of protection, a possible solution to this issue is physically checking your pool gate and maintaining your pool gate regularly to ensure it self-closes and self-latches at all times. You should not be able to open a gate at all without activating the release mechanism which should be out of the reach of toddlers.
D&D Technologies®, the inventor and manufacturer of the MagnaLatch® Pool Safety Gate Latch and the world leader in high-performance gate hardware, has partnered with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) to establish a Check Your Pool Gate Month campaign kicking-off Memorial Day Weekend and continuing through the month of June. The initiative was created to remind pool owners of the vital need to ensure pool fences, gates, latches and hinges are secure and in top working order. Every pool owner should be confident they have a safe swimming zone.
“Our aim with Check Your Pool Gate Month is to educate pool owners about pool safety and to encourage them to check their pool surroundings not once a year, but regularly,” says Jim Paterson, D&D’s VP of Sales and Marketing.
A few minutes is all it takes for pool owners to check that their pool fences and gates, including latches and hinges, are in good working order. If you can’t fix it call your local contractor to service your gate and ensure the gate is secured while waiting. This simple routine done regularly could help save the life of a child.
Safety checklist for pool gates
Should open outwards, away from the pool
Height of latch release mechanism is least 54” from the bottom of the gate (check local codes)
Must be self-closing and self-latching
Hinges should be rust-free and bind-free
Hinges should be reliable and tension-adjustable for closing speed
Latch must be adjustable horizontally and vertically to accommodate gate movement
Gate will latch when latch is in the locked or unlocked position
Latch cannot be disengaged using implements (e.g. garden or pool tools)
Latch cannot be shaken or jolted open
Gate will shut and latch securely from any open angle or force
Complies with all applicable standards, codes and legislation for pool safety
It’s critical to check your local pool codes for compliance, as local codes may vary.
D&D Technologies gate hardware can be purchased on Amazon or at Home Depot or Lowes.
About D&D Technologies
D&D Technologies is the recognized leader in safety and high-performance gate hardware, providing the broadest range of gate hardware for every application. D&D Technologies produces over 300 gate hardware products and has 30 years of experience in the gate hardware industry. Products include MagnaLatch® magnetic pool and safety gate latches, TruClose® adjustable, self-closing safety gate hinges, LokkLatch® gate latches, SureClose® and Shut It industrial hinges. D&D’s diversity of products continually set new standards in design, performance, craftsmanship and innovation–tied together by a top level of quality and service. D&D products are rust free and consistently exceed all relevant safety barrier codes around the world for the residential, commercial and industrial markets.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/NDPA-Blog-Posts-31.png415738Guillermina Ramirezhttps://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NDPA_Logo_RGB_ForWeb.pngGuillermina Ramirez2021-05-31 12:06:162022-09-06 15:37:03Safe Gates Help Save Lives – Check Your Pool Gate Month
The National Water Safety Conference, hosted by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) is the nation’s leading annual event devoted to drowning prevention and water safety. The conference is hosted for the cross-section of the industry and is built on a foundation of top thought leadership and education.
It is thanks to the commitment and continued support of our sustaining sponsors that our flagship conference reaches a national and global audience, offering intelligent, engaging and relevant content to all attendees.
For everything NDPA Sustaining Sponsors have done for us in the past, everything they still do and will continue to do, we at the National Drowning Prevention Alliance are thankful and excited about all the possibilities we see in a prosperous future together.
D&D Technologies is a company dedicated to the design and manufacture of quality, state-of the-art gate latches, locks and hinges.
D&D Technologies now enjoys a reputation as the #1 gate hardware designer in the world, with established markets in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, South America, the UK and Europe. They confidently guarantee the highest quality of the products they sell. With options available for all gate applications and materials D&D hardware is ISO tested and certified to the most stringent standards.
While they are in the business of profit, they are also very proud of the fact their products save children’s lives. They give back to the community with strong financial and practical support of child-drowning-prevention organisations worldwide such as the NDPA. It’s all part of their passion and commitment.
Cvent offers software solutions to event planners and marketers for online event registration, venue selection, event management and marketing, onsite solutions, and attendee engagement. #Cvent’s suite of products automate and simplify the planning process to maximize the impact of events.
With their support, the NDPA has managed to take the National Water Safety Conference to the next level as a virtual event.
For more than 45 years, Counsilman-Hunsaker has led the industry by completing more than 1,000 national and international aquatic projects of every size and complexity. In fact, many of the innovations that are now standard in the industry were conceived at Counsilman-Hunsaker.
The NDPA thanks them for their commitment to the audiovisual aspects of the National Water Safety Conference. Their effort, time and support have contributed to the continued success of this annual event.
Families United to Prevent Drowning is a group of people connected for the worst possible reason: the loss or near loss of someone we love to a water tragedy. Through Families United, we join to create one voice. Together we say, “Not one more drowning.”
Though their stories were different, the end result was undeniably the same: drowning is preventable. These shattered families forged a union that would create one singular, shared vision for the future. Stronger together than apart. Today, that group is 60 families strong. And sadly, growing.
Upon returning home to the U.S. after competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Michael launched the Michael Phelps Foundation and embarked upon an eight-city tour across the country to share his Dream, Plan, Reach message with Boys & Girls Clubs of America members.
In 2009, along with the help of KidsHealth.org and Michael Phelps Swimming, we developed our signature program, IM. IM is a water-safety, physical and mental wellness, and goal-setting program for Boys & Girls Clubs of America members and Special Olympics International athletes.
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance protects and advances the common interests of the industry by providing education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge and profitabilit
It is their core purpose to promote safe and healthy pool and hot tub environments for people to share enjoyable aquatic experiences.
Serving as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, the USA Swimming Foundation works to strengthen the sport by saving lives and building champions. By equipping our children with the life-saving skill of learn-to-swim and providing financial support to our heroes on the U.S. National Team, the USA Swimming Foundation aims to provide the wonderful experience of swimming to kids at all levels across the country.
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions that include product evaluation, accreditation, technology, training, and certification. The Code Council’s codes, standards, and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable, and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.
The Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation‘s mission is to educate children and adults worldwide about water safety through the utilization of drowning prevention campaigns & early childhood water safety training.
Miss Tristan Foundation was formed to ensure that Tristan Lynn Byrd would live on through the organization’s drowning prevention efforts. They are dedicated to raise water safety awareness through education of children and adults in and around spas, pools, and open bodies of water
The NDPA Webinar Series is an educational initiative that aims to offer expert insight on a plurality of topics pertaining to water safety and drowning prevention throughout the year.
Here’s a list of our first 10 webinar sessions that you can watch on our site now!
Our first webinar discussed the American Academy of Pediatrics updated statement on the prevention of drowning, with Dr. Julie Gilchrist and Nicole Hughes, founder of Levi’s Legacy.
Dr. Andrea Taliaferro along with Ailene Tisser, MA PT and Cindy Freedman, MOTR, CTRS, founders of Swim Angelfish, lead the discussion on water safety and drowning prevention for individuals with disabilities and autism.
Waves, temperature, currents, weather… they can all be obstacles to the practice of open water swimming. Guest speakers Swim Angelfish and US Coast Guard Licensed Master Michael Carr.
This webinar covers what has worked well and what hasn’t for community water safety initiatives, how to connect with your community, how to gain support from your community, how to identify resources in your community, and other related topics.
This discussion covers federal water safety legislation with a focus on VGB and the proposed legislation on water safety education in schools in New Jersey with our expert panel which includes Alan Korn, J.D., Sean Kean, J.D., and Joe Oehme.
Led by Mick Nelson, the Facilities Development Senior Director at USA Swimming, this webinar is focused on drowning data and a discussion on the role that commercial aquatic facilities play in drowning prevention.
National Safe Boating Council‘s Executive Director, Peg Phillips, and Communication Director, Yvonne Pentz join us as we discuss life jacket use in the U.S., life jacket laws, and the “Wear It!” campaign.
How can more schools adopt water safety education programs? We answer this and other questions with the expertise of Stop Drowning Now and Colin’s Hope, both organizations that have existing and implemented drowning prevention curriculums in schools.
Physicians prescribing swim lessons to parents and children is a topic of great interest for most families in the U.S. Lana Whitehead, President of Water Smart Babies and Dr. Todd Vedder, MD with Atrium Health discuss it at length.
Our two guest experts in marketing and communication, Laura Metro, Owner of The Marketing Spirit and NDPA Board Member and Kent Nelson, Digital Marketing Specialist at Counsilman Hunsaker, discuss the ins and outs of navigating social media around a complex issue.
Don’t miss any of our upcoming webinars. Dates and topics will be announced on our social media profiles.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NDPA-Blog-Posts-15.png415738Adam Katchmarchihttps://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NDPA_Logo_RGB_ForWeb.pngAdam Katchmarchi2020-03-30 13:52:362022-08-22 10:20:55Catch up on the NDPA Webinar Series
Registration for the 2020 World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (#WLSL2020) is officially open. This year’s event will take place Thursday, June 18, 2020. Organizers are urging aquatic facilities of all types to utilize the global, one-day event to increase awareness about the importance of learning to swim in their local communities.
Registration is now open at WLSL.org. The 2020 event will take place over the course of 24 hours on Thursday, June 18th. #WLSL2020
The worldwide event provides kids and parents exposure to life-saving water safety skills while building awareness about the vital importance of teaching children to swim and undistracted adult supervision to help prevent drowning.
The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ will take place on six continents over 24 hours on Thursday, June 18, 2020, as a platform for the aquatics industry to use one voice to send a clear message about the crucial importance of teaching kids to swim. Individual host locations and aquatics providers can conduct the 30-minute lesson any time of day they choose on the 18th.
Per the World Health Organization, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death, accounting for 7 percent of all injury-related deaths worldwide. In the U.S., drowning remains the leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1 to 4, and the second leading cause for children under 14.
However, there is reason to hope. Since the WLSL event launched in 2010, the Swimming Lessons Save Lives™ message has been shared with more than two billion people in the U.S. alone. Facilities of all kinds are encouraged to join TEAM WLSL® in their mission to prevent childhood drowning through education. Register at https://www.wlsl.org/WLSL/host_an_event.aspx
About The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ WLSL was created as a platform to build awareness about the fundamental importance of teaching children to swim to prevent drowning. WLSL events have provided more than 159,000 working hours of water safety training, more than 20,000 hours each year during the one-day event. Since its inception, more than 319,000 children and adults in 48 countries have participated in WLSL lessons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApSY4iFZCDc
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NDPA-Blog-Posts-11.png415738Adam Katchmarchihttps://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NDPA_Logo_RGB_ForWeb.pngAdam Katchmarchi2020-03-09 21:08:222022-08-24 16:06:13Eleventh Annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ Set for Thursday, June 18, 2020
The NDPA thanks all of you for taking the time to comment and for your dedication and support of drowning prevention and we encourage respectful commentary. Given the nature of the commentary on this piece and on previous posts, the NDPA felt it important to provide clarity, define our position as the NDPA, and respond to key issues raised.
It is paramount to state first that the NDPA wholeheartedly believes that swimming lessons are an important layer of protection. At many points in the Facebook commentary, the NDPA was accused of attacking swim lessons as an ineffective way of preventing drowning. That is not accurate and it doesn’t not represent our beliefs as an organization.
We
do however, believe that we cannot rely solely on one singular layer of
protection to prevent drowning. We often cite swim lessons in this context as
there have been many incidents in which skilled swimmers have drown. However, we
also hold this same belief when it comes to other layers of protection. Pool
fences are an important layer, and they can fail. As can self-closing,
self-latching gates. One can forget to put a pool cover back on the pool and an
alarm’s batteries can expire. Just like skilled swimmers can drown, layers of
protection must operate in combination to truly work. This is why the NDPA encourages people to practice all layers of
protection, including learning to swim from high quality lessons.
We are confident that many of you would agree, there is no quick and easy solution that will prevent all drowning. This reality is one of the reasons drowning has been so difficult to stop. The polarization and infighting amongst drowning prevention advocates has also played a major role. As an alliance, we represent all areas of water safety and drowning prevention. We support all layers of protection and, as the Alliance, we will not frame our messaging to focus only on one layer.
We appreciate the passion behind the support of learning to swim but if we only focus on the positive effects, we would be doing a disservice to our audience and the public at large. The author of the article in question was making a point that research shows that parents can become overly reliant on swim lessons as a method to protect their children from drowning. The author is not arguing that swimming lessons aren’t a vital part of protecting a child from drowning. Her point was to shed light on the fact that parent’s over estimate their child’s ability and the need for direct supervision after swimming lessons.
An important item we must address is the accusation that the NDPA is not citing research-based studies to support our stance. As the leading organization in drowning prevention and water safety, we firmly believe that research and evidence-based approaches are of paramount importance. While the NDPA did not write the article posted on our Facebook page, we will stand by the fact that the author does cite relevant research in drowning prevention literature. Please see the list of relevant published research studies below that are often used by the NDPA and some of which were discussed in the article in question.
The research published by Dr. Barbara Morrongiello in 2014 that this article cites is an example. The research showed that “as parents perceive their child to be accumulating swim skills, they increasingly believe that children are capable of keeping themselves from drowning, and as a result, that less active parent supervision of the child is necessary.” Obviously, the parent education component of a learn to swim lesson is vital for parents to fully understand the outcomes of swimming lessons. Parents need to appreciate their child’s abilities in the water after swim lessons and that no one of any age or ability level should swim by themselves. We as the NDPA are not insinuating that a swim instructor would claim that their swim lessons will “drown-proof a child”. However, the article points out that parents can make that assumption on their own, given the results of Dr. Morrongiello’s research.
Another example is related to the statistic that learning to swim will reduce the risk of drowning by 88%. This study was not conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), but by Dr. Ruth Brenner and her colleagues at the National Institute of Child Health and Development and published in 2009. We all applaud the AAP’s move to change the age recommendations and push for starting the learn to swim process at younger ages. However, this article points out important components of the research conducted in by Dr. Brenner and her associates that are often overlooked. We often hear the statistic from this study that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88%. It is often missed that this research had a small sample size and the 95% confidence intervals regarding the protective effects were 3%-99%. There is no argument that this study is an important step forward and has been cited by the AAP as a key reason why they made their recent modifications. However, it is important to note that the team behind this study points to the limitations of their own research and that “swimming skills alone are insufficient to protect a child from drowning.”
There are several research studies below that we as the NDPA have also used in the past to support our stance on several issues. The insinuation that the NDPA does not support, does not believe in, or does not follow relevant evidence and research-based studies and advancements in drowning prevention and water safety is simply inaccurate, unfounded, and completely false. With all due respect, the comments that state the research cited is outdated and inconsistent, furthers the problem we are facing. An example is that AAP just modified their statement and stance regarding swimming lessons this year. That doesn’t make all previous research invalid or inaccurate. We may need to look at opinions, commentary, and research conducted or produced prior to that with the recent changes made in the front of our minds, however, that doesn’t mean we should toss aside any, and everything published prior to 2019.
Additionally,
we never intend to muddy the waters or create inconsistent messages in the
drowning prevention space. Our true intent is to advance the discussion by
sharing viewpoints, information, and educational content that pushes the
drowning prevention and water safety community to have productive discussions
addressing the problems we face. This isn’t easy and sometimes can lead to
controversy. We are all working to reduce drowning, and as stated before and
there is no cure-all to this awful tragedy. We may not always agree on a
singular viewpoint. We may disagree with certain people’s opinions. We may find
the results of a research study to be unhelpful or in direct contradiction of
current messaging. Someone having a differing viewpoint or approach to solving
a complex problem (like drowning), doesn’t make them wrong. Having an open discussion
and addressing issues where there is disagreement is important and the only
action that will advance our shared goals. The NDPA will continue to promote an
open and honest discussion about drowning prevention and water safety that is
factual, evidence based, and honest as this is our responsibility and role in
this space.
Our goal by writing this blog article today is to inform our audience of our decision-making process and the NDPA’s stance on layers of protection as well as our role in the drowning prevention space. It is not to further any arguments or criticism that the NDPA received in relation to this opinion article and in many other instances when sharing various information on our Facebook page. We fully understand and appreciate how highly emotional this topic can be. Our goal is to reduce the number of awful tragedies that causes this to be such an emotional topic. While many disagree with the author or the opinion piece’s tone; we did not share this to support her tone. We shared this work to again shed light on the fact that we can’t be overly reliant on one layer of protection.
The nature of the NDPA as an “alliance” organization means that we, as an alliance, are all in this together. That does not mean its easy and we all agree on everything. But we all can agree drowning is preventable and that the use of multiple layers of protection save lives. With a complex issue such as drowning; the discussion, refinement, and education of the preventative measures will sometimes lead to situations where we find ourselves disagreeing with approaches, messaging, and each other. In these cases, we all need to remind ourselves and others that we share the same goal, to prevent drowning and to save lives.
Brenner, R. A., Taneja, G. S., Haynie, D. L., Trumble, A. C., Qian, C., Kliner, R. M., & Klebanoff, M. A. (2009). Association between swimming lessons and drowning in childhood. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, 163(3), 203-210. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2008.563.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/10.png415738Adam Katchmarchihttps://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NDPA_Logo_RGB_ForWeb.pngAdam Katchmarchi2019-11-23 00:06:512022-09-06 15:41:42Swimming Lessons: One Layer of Protection
Swim skills add a layer of protection to prevent drowning incidents.
Formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning among children 1-4 years. This is the only sport that can actually save lives and can also reduce the risk of drowning among older individuals.
Everyone Should Learn To Swim
Swimming is not an instinctive skill for humans. We can not survive in water unless we are taught how to swim. All adults and children should learn to swim.
Role of Swim Lessons
Adults should be smart and aware and never consider children have been “drown proofed” because they’ve had swim lessons. Nothing will ever eliminate the risk of drowning because it simply doesn’t discriminate. Even an Olympic swimmer can drown.
When to Start
Always speak with your pediatrician before considering any water safety/swimming lessons for children. With the right instruction, children can gain skills and a love for the water even at a young age.
The American Academy of Pediatrics updated their policy statement regarding drowning prevention stating that swim lessons are beneficial for children starting around age 1, and may lower drowning rates.
Once parents have decided their child is developmentally ready for swim lessons, they should proceed to look for a program that has experienced, well-trained instructors and fits their budget.
Include Water Safety Education
Ensure that swim instruction includes water safety and survival education at the appropriate developmental level.
Ideally, programs should teach ‘water competency’ too – the ability to get out of the water if your child ends up in the water unexpectedly.
Selecting a Program
Check if the instructor is trained in swim instruction, child development, and currently certified in CPR (some are not). Observe classes before enrollment and monitor lessons for safety skills, the effectiveness of the instructor, the child’s reception to learning, and progress. Lessons should be continuous, year-round, not taken for just one season as skills need to be developed and maintained for life.
Even the best swim lessons cannot “drown-proof” a child, and we strongly recommend parents take the necessary steps to make their child’s environment safer. For homes with a pool, the most important safety measure is a 4-sided fence that completely surrounds the pool and isolates it from the house.
More swimmers will result in a healthier society, fewer drownings, and reduced healthcare costs for the country.
https://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/NDPA-Blog-Posts-6.png415738Adam Katchmarchihttps://ndpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NDPA_Logo_RGB_ForWeb.pngAdam Katchmarchi2019-11-07 02:40:572022-09-06 15:40:46Swimming Lessons as a Layer of Protection to Prevent Drownings
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