water safety month Archives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(OVERLAND PARK, KS) – As families converge on aquatic centers, pools, splash pads, waterparks, and open bodies of water for recreational water activities this Memorial Day weekend, it is vital to ensure safety is a priority for all people. The National Water Safety Month campaign supporters offer six important tips and reminders for parents and caregivers about safer water practices.

As you enjoy time in and around water this summer, keep these six water safety tips in mind:

Capable & Constant Supervision – Actively supervise children and non-swimmers around the water, even when lifeguards are present. Don’t just drop kids off. Avoid distracting activities such as checking email or social media. Drowning is quick and silent.
Water Competency – No matter your age, learning to swim and survive in the water is one of the best ways to be safer in and around the water.
Prevent Unsupervised Access To Water –Barriers and alarms help prevent access to water during non-swim times. Almost 70% of toddler drownings occur during non-swim times. Four sided fencing with a self-closing self-latching gate helps prevent unplanned access.
Swim With A Buddy – Do not allow anyone to swim alone. Even at a public pool or a lifeguarded beach, use the buddy system.
Wear A Life Jacket – Adults and kids should always wear a properly-fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while boating. Non-swimmers and inexperienced swimmers should also always wear a life jacket when in and around the water. Inflatable toys can be fun but are not a substitute for U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
Be Prepared For Emergencies – Learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies by learning CPR.

About National Water Safety Month

National Water Safety Month is a joint effort of the American Red Cross, the National Recreation and Park Association, Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and the World Waterpark Association. Joining the NWSM partnership in 2022 is the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of drowning and preventing tragedy around water.

These organizations honor National Water Safety Month in May, along with thousands of aquatics facilities and professionals, through educational programs, public service announcements, governmental proclamations, dealer and aquatics business promotions and the distribution of water-safety-themed materials, aimed primarily at the public and designed to help prevent drowning and water-related illness and injuries.

Detailed information and free resources in support of National Water Safety Month, for both consumers and businesses, can be found at www.nationalwatersafetymonth.org. Connect with National Water Safety Month on Facebook (@watersafetymonth).

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Aleatha Ezra
Director of Park Member Development
World Waterpark Association
aezra@waterparks.org

Cort Jones
Communications Manager
National Recreation and Park Association
cjones@nrpa.org

Don Lauritzen
Communications Officer
American Red Cross
media@redcross.org

Laura Metro
Marketing & Communication Director
National Drowning Prevention Alliance
Laura.metro@ndpa.org

Jessica Howard
Vice President, Marketing
Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
jhoward@phta.org

The fact that swimming schools have closed until further notice is no reason to bring your children’s water safety education to a halt. If you are like most parents that are now homeschooling their kids, take the opportunity to add water safety and drowning prevention to your daily activities with these fun, free and educational resources.

Make a splash in your family’s routine!

Goldfish Swim School offers an array of screen-free activities, like coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, games and more! New activities are added periodically so be sure to check their site every few days.

Goldfish Swimschool Printables — Goldfish Swim School Activities

The school also offers some great tips on ways your kids can keep honing their swimming skills even though pools are closed. Check them out here.

Get The Party Started!

CPR Party™ offers fun, age appropriate and entertaining printable resources on their site which were designed to help teach your kids first aid and equip them with the life saving skill of CPR. You can add them to your homeschooling schedule or even host your own CPR Party™ at home with the entire family!