Tag Archive for: water safety education

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5 Water Safety Stories For Kids

Water safety learning opportunities are essential for children of all ages. Learning the importance of water safety through stories reinforces the message in a fun, entertaining, and educational way. Water safety stories provide an engaging way for children to gain important knowledge about how to stay safe in and around water while also helping to instill these crucial messages into their minds.

Water safety stories for kids are important for several reasons:

  • Preventing Accidents: Stories can help kids understand the dangers of water activities and how to avoid accidents.
  • Teaching Safety Rules: By reading stories that teach water safety rules, children can learn how to stay safe while swimming, boating, or playing in or near water.
  • Raising Awareness: Stories can raise awareness about the importance of water safety, the risks associated with water activities, and the need to implement the five layers of protection.
  • Developing Critical Thinking: Stories can help children develop critical thinking skills as they learn to identify potential hazards and make informed decisions about their own safety.
  • Encouraging Discussion: Water safety stories can spark conversations between children and their parents or caregivers about water safety, leading to better understanding and communication on the subject.

Overall, water safety stories for kids can help prevent accidents and encourage safe behavior around water, which is essential for their well-being.

There are many great water safety stories for kids that are both educational and entertaining. Here are a few examples:

Josh The Baby Otter

Water Safety Stories - Josh The Baby Otter

“Josh the Baby Otter” was created to help children comprehend and remember this important message: TO STAY AWAY FROM WATER UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT. Its goal is to create a water safety behavior for all children that will be passed on from generation to generation.

Stewie The Duck Learns To Swim

Water Safety Stories - Stewie The Duck

Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim is an important and fun child’s first guide to water safety. Written for children ages two through six, the book conveys the message of how to be safe near the water through the story of Stewie. This duck wants to swim with the “big ducks,” but his older sisters prevent him from entering the water until he learns the appropriate water safety rules.

The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim

Water Safety Stories - The Polar Bear Who Couldn't, Wouldn't Swim

The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim follows the journey of a young polar bear named Zeke who is afraid of the water and refuses to swim. He leaves his home in search of other animals who do not swim and finds that he can enjoy the water if he follows the ABCs and Ds of water safety while learning a valuable lesson about facing his fears with a positive attitude.

Barkley’s Great Escape

Water Safety Stories - Barkley's Great Escape

Barkley’s Great Escape, follows a yellow Labrador retriever named Barkley, who runs into trouble when he enters a neighbor’s pool alone. The story is designed to spark discussion with children about water safety and the importance of following rules.

Jay’s Swimming Journey: How one little swimmer learned to pay attention to what’s important!

Water Safety Stories - Jay's Swimming Journey

Jay’s Swimming Journey is the tale of a young boy who listened to his coach, focused on himself, had fun swimming and showed improvement. Aimed at young swimmers but with a message pertinent to athletes of all ages and sports, Jay’s Swimming Journey demonstrates the benefit of paying attention to yourself and the details and making the most of every day in practice.

These are just a few examples of the many great water safety stories for kids. When choosing a book, look for age-appropriate content and engaging illustrations to keep your child interested.

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10 New Year Resolutions That Will Make You A Water Safety Champion

Education and knowledge is the key for everything and definitely something we should focus on in the new year. 

According to the CDC, an average of 10 fatal drowning incidents happen in the USA every day and is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 1-4 years, the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 1-14 years, and is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for all ages in the United States.  The WHO has reported that drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths. 

This makes drowning a very serious issue that should be addressed throughout the year in order to avoid and prevent fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents. The beginning of a new year is the best time to plan exactly how we can do this in the form of water safety resolutions.

Here are ten to get you started:

1.- Learn the Five Layers of Protection

The term “layers of protection” is one used to classify the majority of strategies directly affecting aquatic environments. Parents, caregivers, residential pool owners, aquatic facility owners, managers and operators should use “layers of protection” to provide a system of increased security to prevent unauthorized access to bodies of water, especially important for children. This means that multiple strategies or devices are used constantly and simultaneously.

Click here to learn the Five Layers of Protection to prevent drowning.

2.- Practice water safety at home

  • Never leave your child alone in the bathtub—even for a moment. Many bathtub drownings happen (even in a few inches of water) when a parent leaves a small child alone or with another young child. Also, bath seats are just bathing aids. Bath seats can tip over and your child can slip out of them, so they won’t prevent drowning.
  • Empty water from containers, such as large pails and 5-gallon buckets, immediately after use.
  • Keep bathroom doors closed. Install door knob covers or a hook-and-eye latch or other lock that is out of the reach of your small child.
  • Keep toilets closed. Always close the toilet lid, and consider using a toilet lid latch.

Find more ways to be water safe at home in our blog post Home Water Safety Tips.

3.- Teach your children about water safety

Families have always played a vital role in teaching kids how important it is to learn to swim and behave safely in and around the water. If your child isn’t able to take formal swim lessons right now, you can still help them learn to be safer around backyard pools, ponds or other natural bodies of water.

These are some great resources to help you get started.

4.- Actively support the NDPA to promote water safety and drowning prevention all year long.

The mission of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance is to reduce the incidence of drowning and aquatic injuries in the US and abroad. United, we can reach our goal of 0 drownings.

Whether you join or support the alliance in other ways, you can empower your communities to take more action, touch more lives, and make an even greater difference. Check out 5 Ways You Can Support The NDPA for more ideas.

5.- Promote water safety and ways to prevent drowning in your community.

Find information, actions and resources to get your community involved in water safety advocacy efforts whether they be in person or online at the NDPA Resource Center.

Then call a neighborhood gathering to get started!

6.- Enroll your children in swimming lessons.

Swim skills add a layer of protection to prevent drowning incidents. Formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning among children 1-4 years by 88%. This is the only sport that can actually save lives and can also reduce the risk of drowning among older individuals.

Water competency and swim lessons should be continuous, and not taken for just one season – skills need to be developed and maintained during the entire year. Identify the right swim program for your child by downloading our Swim Program Decision Chart and our Swim Program Checklist!

7.- Learn CPR with rescue breaths. Compression-only CPR does not treat drowning.

Anyone who lives in a home with a pool should learn CPR and rescue breathing. CPR training and certification should be refreshed every one to two years, depending upon the certification agency, or more frequently if there have been recent changes in recommendations.

You can’t predict when an emergency will strike, so knowing how to prepare for a water-related incident can mean the difference between life and death.

8.- Invest in a life vest for each member of the family.

A life jacket is a very effective life-saving strategy in the quest to reduce the number of fatal drowning incidents in the country, especially in open water.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) tested and approved life jackets should be worn by everyone, when in or around open/natural bodies of water, and when boating. Life jackets should be sized appropriately for the wearer.  When other layers of protection may break down, life jackets can help prevent unintentional drowning. Learn more about it here.

9.- Register for the 2023 National Water Safety Conference

The conference is a great fit for anyone involved in child safety advocacy, injury prevention, safety education, water safety, drowning prevention, first response, public health, public policy, aquatics, and many more areas!

This year the #NWSC2023 will be offered from February 13 – 16, 2023 in-person and virtually, co-located with the 2023 AOAP Annual Conference at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO.

We have 80+ speakers lined up this year, and with the ALL ACCESS PASS you won’t need to worry about missing sessions or trying to soak in the education all at once! Get access to every keynote, live session, workshop, and training for up to 5 months after the conference!

Register now!

10.- Join the NDPA Water Safety Warriors Group and sign up to become a Water Safety Champion!

The NDPA has the goal of bringing everyone who has a vested interest in drowning prevention and water safety together. This way, we can provide education and resources to prevent drowning and aquatic injury by making water safer to enjoy.

By providing this space to connect to each other, access to the most current information, and share resources to help  be more effective in our efforts, we are sure can reach our goal to end accidental drownings! Just click to join!

Want to become a Water Safety Champion? Here’s how!

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A Gift That Lasts Longer Than the Holidays: Water Safety!

The holiday season is a time for giving, so why not give the gift of water safety this year? Water activities can be some of the most enjoyable experiences during the holiday season and all year long but staying safe is essential. There are many ways to ensure everyone can have a fun and safe time in the water. 

To ensure everyone has a happy and safe holiday season and new year put water safety at the top of your gift list. Gifts of experiences and learning have moved up many people’s wish lists and parents and caregivers can look to water safety to help check off those lists. 

Give The Gift of Water Safety This Year

A gift of water safety may be the perfect present for your family and friends this holiday season. Whether it’s a swim lesson, a brand-new life vest, or a CPR certification, investing in the safety of loved ones is one of the best gifts you can give.

Water safety isn’t something that should be taken lightly – drowning is still one of the leading causes of accidental death among children. Taking proactive measures to ensure that everyone knows how to stay safe around water all year long can mean the difference between life and death. 

This year, why not make sure your family and friends have access to everything they need to stay safe during their next boating or beach trip? Here are some ideas to get started:

Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons can provide a lifetime of enjoyment and adventure. They are a great way to spend time with loved ones and have significant physical and mental health benefits.

Most importantly, they teach water competency, which is essential to prevent drowning incidents. 

Learning to swim doesn’t eliminate the risk of drowning, but it does equip children with a life-saving layer of protection. Research suggests that children ages 1-4 who participate in formal swim lessons can reduce their risk of drowning by 88%.

By giving someone special the gift of swimming lessons this holiday season, you are helping them gain valuable skills that will stay with them for life. Learning to swim is more than just mastering the technique; it’s about gaining confidence in yourself, and the skills needed to enjoy the water safely at all times.

Most swim programs offer gift cards for swim lessons. If you’re unsure which program is best for your little ones, download our Swim Program Decision Chart and Checklist to help you make the most educated decision.

Life Vests

This holiday season, let’s all do something a little different and make sure water safety is at the top of our gift list. A life vest for someone you love can be one of the most meaningful gifts they receive this year. 

Life vests are essential for keeping people safe in the water, regardless of their skill level or experience. From toddlers just getting their feet wet to avid swimmers who take on more daring bodies of water, life vests are an essential layer of protection everyone should take before entering any body of water. The holidays are the perfect time to provide that necessary piece of equipment and bring some peace of mind to those closest to us.

When choosing a life vest or flotation device, be sure to select a USCG-approved one that has been tested and meets accepted industry standards.

Lifeguard Training

Taking a lifeguarding training class is your first step towards keeping swimmers safe! Lifeguards play an important role in drowning prevention. They are trained professionals who understand how to recognize, prevent and respond to swimming emergencies. 

A lifeguard training class will equip you or a loved one with a comprehensive understanding of water safety, rescue techniques, and first aid skills. You’ll also learn how to use essential lifesaving equipment such as lifejackets, buoys, and spinal boards. It’s an exciting way to acquire practical knowledge that could save someone’s life! 

Whether you’re looking for a summer job or want to learn more about water safety, taking a lifeguard certification course is the perfect way to get started. You can purchase a gift certificate for lifeguard training courses and start your journey toward becoming a lifesaver!

CPR Certification

Learning to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a valuable skill that can potentially save lives. 

CPR training involves learning to recognize the signs of cardiac arrest and how to administer chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation techniques properly. But don’t worry – these skills are easy to learn! Many organizations like the American Red Cross and American Heart Association offer CPR/AED classes that provide hands-on instruction on the basics of administering first aid, practice scenarios, and other helpful tips for responding quickly and efficiently in an emergency. 

In addition to providing basic life support skills for adults and children, many CPR courses also include information about water safety and rescue techniques. Anyone living in a home with a pool or frequently around water should learn CPR with rescue breaths, making a CPR Certification a wise gift for the holidays.

Drowning Prevention Research Summit Kick’s Off Multi-Year Effort To Champion Advancement and Innovation in Drowning Prevention Research and Safety

National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) Assembles Experts Across Disciplines to Address the Critical Issue of Childhood Drowning.

SAN DIEGO, September 15, 2022 – On September 13-14, 2022 the National Drowning Prevention Alliance hosted the industry’s first research summit solely dedicated to water safety and drowning prevention for children and adolescents – a critical issue and the single leading cause of death among children ages 1-4 years old.


The National Childhood Drowning Prevention Research Summit was held in San Diego, California and brought together more than 45 researchers and experts from across the country and internationally who have dedicated their careers to the safety and well-being of children.

Hosted by NDPA and moderated by Doyle Strategies, which has led similar summits on child and gun safety, the group included professionals from the governmental, academic, medical, public health and private sectors, including representatives from American Academy Pediatrics, American Red Cross, YMCA, Harvard University, Baylor University, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and other leading organizations and advocates.


“The body of data available for drowning prevention has been historically weak leaving us to use best practices instead of evidence-informed approaches,” said Adam Katchmarchi, Ph.D., M.S., Executive Director, NDPA. “Our goal is to change that and bring all stakeholders together to collaborate on a unified research agenda.”

During the two-day meeting, summit participants discussed the research gaps in the literature surrounding childhood drowning prevention and water safety and prioritized a short- and long-term research agenda based on need and feasibility, while fostering unity among the industry sectors represented.


“It was incredible to see all of the national leaders in child drowning prevention gathered in one room, working together to address this epidemic,” said Ben Hoffman, M.D., Chief Medical Advisor, NDPA and Professor of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University. “There is so much we do not know about how to prevent drowning, and the issue has never received the attention warranted by the magnitude of the problem. It was amazing to see how the group really dug in and did the hard work to ask the right questions and identify the key issues and potential solutions. This was a crucial first step in the process
of preventing drowning among kids.”


With focused discussions on the existing data and science, and actionable work needed to define future research directions and priorities to advance policy and prevention efforts, the summit program included a networking session and a review of research currently underway at CDC. Small, collaborative, interprofessional groups also assessed research needs around four of the established preventive layers of protection – barriers, supervision, water competency, and life jackets.

“I think a better understanding of all of the circumstances around drowning in every environment is going to be critical in order to develop, implement and evaluate drowning prevention strategies,” said Lois Lee, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School. “

Following the summit, an evidence review and preliminary conclusions will be compiled and shared with both research and non-research-related qualified stakeholders to weigh in on the results and outcomes.

Post event stakeholder engagement will be conducted via focus groups, interviews, and survey with the goal of gaining insight into areas of consensus and disagreement on proposed research priorities. An overall research summit summary report, in addition to summary reports on identified themes, will be released by NDPA among stakeholder groups.

The Drowning Prevention Research Summit was made possible through the generous funding of the Chuck & Ernestina Kreutzkamp Foundation.

About National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA)
The mission of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance is “United, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning.” Through education, awareness, and advocacy, NDPA seeks to reduce the incidence of drowning and aquatic injuries in the United States and abroad and to address the single leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4. To learn more, visit ndpa.org.

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Being a Water Safety Champion All Year Long

Being a water safety champion all year long

Summer is a great time to be outside and enjoy the sun and warm weather.  However, it is also the time of year when most drownings occur, so it is important to be proactive when it comes to water safety.  To address the rise in drowning incidents the NDPA launched its Water Safety Champion program which provides resources and education to help prevent drownings.

By becoming a Water Safety Champion you can let everybody know that you are invested in the safety and wellbeing of your entire community.  How?  By promoting the best water safety practices that help prevent unintentional drowning incidents.

Even though drowning is a leading cause of death for children aged 1-4, it is also completely preventable.  This is why it’s essential to prevent drowning incidents year round.

Drowning can happen anywhere there is water – a pool, bathtub, lake, river, or even a bucket of water.  Drowning can also occur at any time or season, making becoming a Water Safety Champion much more critical.  It is a life-long commitment that allows no breaks, no matter what time of year.

So let’s get started!

Make it Official: sign up to become a Water Safety Champion.

Who Can Be A Water Safety Champion?

Everyone can and should become a Water Safety Champion.

Drowning doesn’t discriminate between race, gender or age. It can happen to the best of parents in the best of families any time there is access to water. 

By becoming a Water Safety Champion you will:

  1. Promote water safety best practices in your community and help ensure everyone knows how to stay safe around water.
  2. Teach children never to go near or enter the water without an adult present. 
  3. If you see someone in trouble in the water call for help, and if you are able jump in and save them yourself – every second counts when someone is drowning.

Just go on over to ndpa.org/champion/#championform and sign up. Download your certificate, fill it out and print it to officially become a Water Safety Champion.

Businesses and Organizations can also become Water Safety Champions.

As you know, construction of backyard pools is on the rise – 2020 saw a record 23% increase in ownership. While this statistic is an undeniable win for the industry, it also brings tragedy. Drowning incidents among children have also increased.  

Becoming a Water Safety Champion is a smart business decision, showing current and future clients your commitment to water safety.   Show your potential clients know you are more than just a business to them. You’re a partner providing them peace of mind and helping them enjoy their pool or spa to the fullest. Sign up today!

What Do I Have To Do When I Become A Water Safety Champion?

Learn and implement layers of protection

As we said before, drowning is preventable, but specific strategies are needed to ensure that our kids remain safe when in or near water. These strategies are known as layers of protection.

Parents, caregivers, residential pool owners, aquatic facility owners, managers, and operators should use “layers of protection” to provide a system of increased security to prevent unauthorized access to bodies of water, especially important for children.

Drowning happens quickly and quietly, so no single layer of safety is enough. Multiple layers are necessary to help reduce the risk. This means that the following strategies are to be used constantly and simultaneously to help keep children safe:

●       Barriers

Since you can’t always be around to keep an eye on your pool or spa, it’s important to use physical barriers to restrict unauthorized access. This layer of protection comes into play in the pool or spa’s entire surrounding area and the water.

Four-sided fencing with self-closing, self-latching gates, door and window alarms, and safety covers can help make sure kids don’t get to the water unsupervised.

●       Supervision

Whether you’re using your pool or not, it’s always important to know where young children are and never leave them unattended. Close, constant, and capable adult supervision anytime children are in or around water is paramount to avoid drowning incidents.

●       Water Competency

Parents and caregivers should equip every child and adult with the skills to protect themselves in water. With the proper instruction, children can gain the competence, confidence, and respect they need to create a life-long love for the water.

Ensure every family member learns to swim, so they at least achieve the following skills of water competency:

  • Step or jump into the water over their head.
  • Return to the surface and float or tread water for one minute.
  • Turn around in a full circle and find an exit.
  • Swim 25 yards to the exit.
  • Exit from the water. If in a pool, be able to exit without using the ladder.

●       Life Jackets

Use life jackets when appropriate. Life jackets protect you when you’re not expecting to be in the water, especially around open water and while boating. All life jackets should be tested and approved by the USCG.

●       Emergency Preparation

Drowning is silent and happens fast. Knowing CPR (w/ rescue breaths) and basic water rescue can make the difference between life and death.

Using all layers of protection together is the only way to reduce the risk of drowning. You never know which layer will save a life.

Know the signs of drowning

It is essential to know what drowning looks like so that we can react swiftly and avert any sad outcomes.

Most people do not know that most drowning victims never have the chance to call for help. Drowning is fast and silent. That is why we must always be attentive to any signs of distress when children or adults are in the water. Swimmers in trouble or distress must be rescued quickly to avoid a tragedy.

Here are the signs that someone might be drowning that you should be on the look-out for:

●       The head instinctively tilts back as they try to keep the airways clear of water, and the body is in a vertical position

●       They usually face the shore in open water such as a lake, river, or beach.

●       There are signs of movement but no signs of progress in the water.

●       The arms are out to the side, pressing downward.

●       There may be a ladder-climbing motion, hands out of the water, or maybe lightly breaking the surface.

●       There is a wide-eyed, panicked expression on their face as they gasp for air.

Once it becomes clear that someone is drowning or in distress, take action and scream for a lifeguard or someone to help.  Whatever you do, do not put yourself in any sort of danger in the process. 

Source: The Kenosha Safety Around Water Coalition

Use and Share Water Safety Educational Resources

Water safety education aims to prevent drowning incidents by teaching kids, teens, and even adults how to be safe near and in the water. Water safety education also includes learning what to do should an accident take place. This knowledge can certainly make the difference between fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents.

Ideally, children’s water safety education should begin at home, and as early as possible.  Children younger than school age can begin to learn many water safety basics.  You can start by using some of these fun and free resources.

If you are a teacher, we encourage you to find ways to add water safety education to your curriculum here.

Avoid using misnomers

There are certain terms related to drowning that are commonly used in the media, and hence by the public, that shouldn’t be.

Terms such as ‘dry,’ ‘wet,’ ‘near,’ ‘silent,’ and ‘secondary’ drowning are all misnomers that should not be used when speaking of drowning incidents.

Using inconsistent, inaccurate, or medically inappropriate terms can have the unnecessary effect of instilling fear in the public and causing the wrong diagnosis for real medical issues. According to the World Health Organization, “… Effective prevention of drowning requires programs and policies that address known risk factors”, for which “… a simple but comprehensive definition is needed.”

So, in order to indeed face the problem of drowning successfully, we must refrain from using terms that are misleading and compel others to do the same, starting with the media. There is a common practice of promoting specific flotation devices as aids and protection for children when they are in the water. This is far from the case and should be addressed so that those types of messages are no longer shared or are more accurately worded, at least. It is to this end that the NDPA has created the End The Misinformation Letter.

Advocate for water safety in your community

Harness all your water safety knowledge and share it with other members of your community. Create community task forces and help make your community safer!

By learning and spreading the word about water safety and drowning prevention, you can help save lives. Water safety is everyone’s responsibility. Take the pledge to be a Water Safety Champion today and help spread the word about water safety and drowning prevention. United, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning!

Become a Water Safety Champion today!

From the NDPA Board President’s Pen

From the NDPA Board President's Pen

In his last official act as President of the NDPA Board of Directors, Blake Collingsworth has issued himself a pardon from all future committee assignments. As we know, Blake’s courage and compassion in support of NDPA’s mission is tireless and arguably unparalleled. Thus, as my first act as President of the NDPA Board of Directors, Blake’s pardon has been revoked.

All kidding aside, when you see Blake and Cathy, please take a moment to express your deepest gratitude for their steadfast leadership. In addition to a passion for drowning prevention and water safety, Blake, Cathy and I also share membership in Rotary International where we are guided by the Four Way Test:

  1. Is it the TRUTH?
  2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
  3. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
  4. Is it BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It is with these core guiding principles that I am humbled and honored to step into the NDPA Board Presidency. Some highlights of the work our board, in partnership with a stellar staff, will focus on in the coming months include:

  • Grounding diversity, equity and inclusion as connected to our mission and critical to ensuring the well-being of the communities we serve.
  • Connecting our board more authentically with the people and communities we serve through broad committee engagement.
  • Infuse new energy and vision into the strategic direction of NDPA as the national flagship water safety and drowning prevention organization.

As fellow board member Jeremy Smith announced multiple times at this year’s Water Safety Conference, my email is pam.cannell@boardbuild.org. Feel free to reach out to let me know how you would like to get involved in the good work we are doing to save lives.


Gratefully,

Pam Cannell
Board President, NDPA
President & CEO, BoardBuild

NDPA & AOAP Team Up For The 2023 & 2024 Conferences!

NDPA & AOAP Team Up For The 2023 & 2024 Conferences!

Joint announcement from the Association of Aquatic Professionals and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance

The Association of Aquatic Professionals (AOAP) and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) are excited to announce the co-location of their flagship conferences in 2023 and 2024. The annual Association of Aquatic Professionals Conference & Expo and the National Water Safety Conference presented by the NDPA will operate side-by-side at the same location beginning in February of 2023. The first event will take place at The Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, February 13-16, 2023.

“By co-locating the conferences, the two associations will provide a one-stop shop for all aquatic professionals and advocates, with the ability to learn from each other’s experiences and move closer to the ultimate goal of drowning prevention by providing safe aquatic experiences for all,” said Juliene Hefter, the executive director of the AOAP.

ABOUT AOAP’S CONFERENCE: For over a decade, the AOAP Conference has earned a reputation as the premier educational gathering for aquatic professionals, drawing over 800 attendees, including health inspectors, building-code officials, aquatic-facility managers, and others. This dynamic event provides attendees with the latest technical, practical, and hands-on education designed to improve drowning prevention, aquatic programming, team leadership and training, risk management, technical operations, and overall facility management.

ABOUT NDPA’S CONFERENCE: The NDPA’s annual flagship event has a long and storied history. Starting out as a small symposium in 2001, the newly rebranded National Water Safety Conference boast four days of education, training, and networking in addition to a robust line up of speakers. This annual event is the gathering place of multiple different sectors, stakeholders, and advocates all who believe “Drowning IS Preventable”.

“The natural pairing of the NDPA and AOAP’s events at one singular location is a win for everyone in water safety. Both organization’s attendees play a key and active role in drowning prevention and water safety in the US and beyond. Co-locating the conferences over the same dates and at the same location will provide unimaginable collaboration and innovation,” said Dr. Adam Katchmarchi, executive director of the NDPA.

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to register for both conferences at discounted rates. The conferences will share a combined exhibit hall, some educational sessions, and numerous other cross-over events such as an all-conference social.

For more information, please contact:

Juliene Heftner
Executive Director, AOAP
juliene@aquaticpros.org

Adam Katchmarchi
Executive Director, NDPA
adam@ndpa.org

British Swim School Partners with Leading Drowning Prevention Organization

British Swim School Partners With Leading Drowning Prevention Organization

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — British Swim School, the nation’s leading “learn to swim” franchise company, is excited to announce its partnership with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, an organization with the goal of reducing the incidence of drowning and aquatic injuries in the United States and abroad.

British Swim School is the first franchise swim school to join with the NDPA in this mission and plans to use its vast resources to further education about drowning and aquatic injuries.

“The NDPA shares our core mission, which is educating the community about drowning prevention and survival skills,” said Melissa McGarvey, Director of Aquatics for British Swim School. “We are excited about this partnership because it will allow us to share information developed by our combined team of experts. This will only make us stronger as we work to spread the important message of water safety and decreasing avoidable drownings.”

The NDPA organizes swim safety education events on a national and international level and also offers swim safety tips and other educational materials online.

“British Swim School truly has a mission of keeping people in the community safe around water,” said Adam Katchmarchi, Executive Director of the NDPA. “They have locations across the country, so we thought they would be the perfect swim school to team up with. We are eager to see what we can accomplish with a collective effort.”

British Swim School, a premier swim school franchise, launched in England in 1981. It was then brought to the U.S. and Canada and eventually grew to more than 200 locations.

Research shows that participation in formal swim programs, such as those offered by British Swim School, can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children who are most at risk for accidental death by drowning. Students are placed in classes based on skill level.

For more information, visit British Swim School.

About British Swim School

British Swim School’s mission is to teach water safety and survival skills to children as young as 3 months old. Rita Goldberg founded British Swim School in 1981 and developed the unique and highly effective teaching methods that are a recognized trademark of the brand today. Acquired by Buzz Franchise Brands in early 2019, British Swim School is the latest addition to the Buzz Franchise Brands family, which includes Pool Scouts, a pool cleaning and maintenance company, and Home Clean Heroes, a residential cleaning company. British Swim School currently operates over 215 schools across the United States and Canada. For more information about British Swim School, visit British Swim School. To learn more about the benefits of British Swim School’s franchising opportunities, visit British Swim School Franchise/. For more information about Buzz Franchise Brands, visit Buzz Franchise Brands

About NDPA

The mission of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) is “United, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning.” We believe that together we can reduce the incidence of drowning and aquatic injuries in the United States and abroad. Join us to help save lives! To learn more about the NDPA, please visit NDPA. To learn more about our annual national conference, please visit National Water Safety Conference.

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Mandy Cline, 919 Marketing, 919-377-9587, mcline@919marketing.com

SOURCE British Swim School

PHTA President & CEO Sabeena Hickman Elected to National Drowning Prevention Alliance Board

PHTA President & CEO Sabeena Hickman Elected to NDPA Board

(Alexandria, Va.) – The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) is pleased to announce that its president and CEO, Sabeena Hickman, CAE, has been elected to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) Board of Directors.

NDPA’s mission statement is, “United, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning.” Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for children ages 1–4, and number two for children up to age 14. NDPA says, “Not one more drowning.” It works closely with families who have lost loved ones to advocate for safer aquatic practices and provides a wide range of resources on drowning prevention.

Hickman joins seven other outstanding individuals on the NDPA Board of Directors who work in different parts of the pool industry, healthcare, and emergency services. Together, this group is committed to expanding and promoting NDPA’s lifesaving work.

Hickman was selected in part due to her work in expanding the Step Into Swim initiative and her belief that those working in the pool and hot tub industry should take a lead in drowning prevention efforts.

“As an alliance, we want to make sure that all facets of the pool and hot tub industry are included in the discussions about water safety,” explains Dr. Adam Katchmarchi, Executive Director, NDPA. “There is a close connection between NDPA and PHTA and what we’re both trying to achieve with water safety. We are pleased to have Hickman’s voice on our board to represent the industry. Also, on an individual level, Hickman’s nonprofit and association management experience will be incredibly valuable to our organization.”

“I am honored to serve on the NDPA Board of Directors,” says Hickman. “Drowning prevention should be top of mind for everyone in the pool and hot tub industry. We have a commitment to not just manufacture, build, or service pools and hot tubs, but to educate the public on using them safely. We can all play a role in preventing drownings and saving lives.”

To learn more about NDPA, visit ndpa.org.

For more information, please contact Janay Rickwalder, PHTA’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, at jrickwalder@phta.org or 703.357.3918.

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About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance 

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with nearly 3,500 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $36.5B pool, hot tub and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge and profitability. Additionally, PHTA facilitates the expansion of swimming, water safety and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org. 

Total Aquatic Programming & NDPA Join Together To Improve The Collection Of Drowning Data

Total Aquatic Programming & NDPA Join Together On Drowning Data

People and organizations in the drowning prevention and water safety space are well aware of the limitation of drowning statistics. Drowning data is not universally collected or classified mainly due the sheer nature of drowning which makes counting on reliable data extremely difficult. Few organizations have taken on the task to gather and distribute data pertaining to drowning and Total Aquatics Programming LLC is currently one of the most well known, respected and reliable sources.

Total Aquatic Programming and National Drowning Prevention Alliance Board of Directors have joined together to improve the “The Drowning Report” data. 

TAP has been collecting drowning data since 2008. This process involves about 1100-man hours per year plus cost for programs and support. They have recently faced the following challenges which have impelled them to rethink and reconsider the process in order to be more effective:

  • Some of the thousands of websites visited to gather report data have now  started charging subscription fees. While these are only .99 cents a week, they add up over the period of a year. 
  • Due to the number of sites consulted to gather information and download reports, TAP has been exposed (multiple times) to viruses and have had to move to enterprise grade protection. 
  • TAP users have requested many features that the organization was not able to offer before and is currently preparing to do: possibility of custom reports, online searchability features, ease of access and more.

It is time for TAP LLC to update the way they not only collect but also present the data gathered. This has a cost that they cannot totally absorb, and after talking to many users it is too important to just lose! They are nearly ready to move to a subscription-based model with an cost of $99.95 per year that will offer subscribers all the information they are used to plus:

  • Report filtering options
  • Custom reports (emailed on a customer set schedule)
  • Ability to submit drownings (requires approval)
  • Online and accessible 24/7 – no more waiting for the first of the month
  • Enhanced field logic
  • Alert notifications (new drownings in your area)
  • Much, Much More!

The new membership model will become effective by June 2021 with May 2021 featuring the last free version of drowning reports. NDPA premium members & all partners will be able to access the new database through their existing NDPA membership.

We hope this is a valuable service that you will continue to use. The new features will also allow members to more easily extract local data and customize reports.

Sign up is coming soon so be on the lookout!