WaterSafe – Wow Partner of the Month
May is National Water Safety Month so we are supporting WaterSafe to help spread safety tips to keep your family safe while enjoying water activities.
WaterSafe’s Mission Statement: To save young lives and mitigate preventable injury through water and sun safety education.
Make a Donation to WaterSafe
Statistics & Facts
- Drowning is the #1 leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- An annual average of 356 drowning deaths in pools and spas of childen ages 0-14 from 2012-2014 as reported to CPSC.
- 77% of deaths involved children younger than the age of 5.
- Deaths typically occur either the same day or within a week of the incident.
- According to the FL Health Dept., Florida leads the country in drowning deaths of children ages 1-4 years.
- Although the are regulations requiring safety standards for new pools (fences, alarms) 90% of existing residential pools were built before the standards took effect.
- The Florida Department of Health strongly recommends multiple barriers to help ensure safety and using “layers of protection” to help prevent drowning.
About WaterSafe
“In the Winter of 2016, Dr. Kristen McCabe (EMS Medical Director for Flagler County) and Jim Caggiano (Coordinator for Flagler County Fire Rescue) discussed what should be done to reduce the number of childhood deaths due to drowning. The idea to hold an annual water safety day grew out of that discussion. The Belle Terre Swim and Racquet club, which is owned by Flagler Schools, quickly signed on as the host facility and the first WaterSafe was held on April 30th 2016. Since then, we have held our event every year, with the biggest turn-out this year! As of August of 2019, WaterSafe is a not-for-profit corporation. We hope that this upcoming year we are able to provide even more than the 225+ swim lessons for children we did in 2021! WaterSafe is more than just our annual event! WaterSafe is a year-long initiative to educate the community about sun and water safety. Drowning is a preventable tragedy, and together, we can save lives!”
Pool Safety Tips
Beach Safety Tips
Sun Safety Tips
Additional Resources
American Red Cross’s Water Safety Resources
The American Red Cross believes that consumers who improve water competency, which includes swimming skills and water smarts, can make water activities safer … and just as much fun. Find swim classes, learn how to make water safety a priority, know what to do in an emergency and understand why you should embrace water safety.
World Waterpark Association’s Water Safety Tips
Swimming is one of life’s greatest pleasures. #BeWaterAware so you can stay safe and enjoy the water at the same time. Learn more about water safety and follow important safety tips.
Pool Safely’s 7 Safety Tips
Swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs are great places for family fun. Ensure everyone follows these simple steps to stay safer in and around water.
Home Pool Essentials Course
The Home Pool Essentials course was developed by the American Red Cross and the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance to teach home pool owners the basics of pool, spa, and hot tub maintenance, as well as strategies for creating a safer pool environment. This course is ideal for home pool, spa, and hot tub owners, in addition to home inspectors, parents, and other health advocates.
Pool Safety’s Free Educational Materials
Pool Safely offers a variety of educational materials—from posters to videos for adults and children—that can help you easily share water safety information, whether it’s with friends and neighbors or at public pools.
The American Red Cross Free Swim App
Get the most out of your American Red Cross swim lessons with the American Red Cross Swim App, which was created as a companion to the Learn-to-Swim program. The app is designed to keep the swimmer motivated while providing the latest in water safety guidelines to ensure the swimmer’s well-being in and near water.
Step Into Swim
Learning to swim means much more than learning strokes; it is learning water survival skills, water safety, and developing comfort in the water.
Step Into Swim is an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance committed to creating more swimmers. Every child deserves access to safe swimming education and the ability to feel confident, inspired, and empowered in the water. In funding learn-to-swim programs across the country, Step Into Swim is making waves in the name of drowning prevention and serves as a go-to resource for all things water safety.
Apply for grants for your facility, donate to provide swim lessons to underserved children, and find swim safety resources all at stepintoswim.org.
United States Swim School Association
The United States Swim School Association offers parents information on water safety, as well as things to look for when choosing a swim school here on our website.
If you are looking for a swim school in your area, please visit our site to search for a private swim school near you.
Pentair
Pentair, the NWSM Program Sponsor, shares Kid-Friendly Pool Safety Tips for Parents. Pentair strives to help pool owners create a fun and effortless experience for all who dive in.
