HISTORIC HIGHS IN CHILDHOOD DROWNING MAKE WATER SAFETY A GREATER PRIORITY THAN EVER THIS SUMMER

NDPA Continues its Water Safety Champion™ Campaign this Summer with Focus on What Parents NEED TO KNOW to Ensure their Families are Safer Around Water

TUSTIN, Calif., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With childhood drowning on the rise and children at a higher risk of drowning during the summer months as they spend more time near pools, lakes and oceans, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), has kicked off its #WaterSafetyChampion campaign for Summer 2023 to spread the word to parents, caregivers, and communities that avoiding a drowning tragedy lies in applying the Five Layers of Protection, which includes multiple, evidence-based prevention strategies.

"There are so many misperceptions about drowning, particularly as it relates to children," said Adam Katchmarchi, Ph.D., Executive Director, NDPA. "Perhaps the most important to dispel is the myth that one strategy for prevention is enough. This summer, we want to change that by putting information and resources on the need for five layers of protection directly into the hands of parents and communities."

NDPA, whose mission is to prevent the tragedy of drowning through education, awareness, and advocacy, is officially launching the effort ahead of Water Safety Month (May) and the summer season.

According to Katchmarchi, "Among parents who have lost a child to drowning, the most common response I hear is 'we didn't know' – didn't know how prevalent it is, didn't know how easily it can happen, and didn't know that one strategy for prevention just isn't enough." 

The summer-long #WaterSafetyChampion campaign focuses on what parents and caregivers need to know when it comes to water safety so that drowning tragedies can be avoided. To help save lives, NDPA's Summer 2023 campaign includes working with social influencers across the country to reach parents and families; collaborating with a children's swimwear designer to include an NDPA hang-tag with water safety information; and the creation of a free, downloadable Water Safety Season Toolkit with pre-produced content and assets for parents, pediatricians, and partners to share the message about the Five Layers of Protection.

Dr. Julie Gilchrist, a pediatrician and researcher who also serves as Chief Medical Advisor to the NDPA, shares, "In case after case, we hear stories from families who were diligent in supervising their child while in the pool but didn't know the many ways drowning can happen – for example, during non-swim times.  This is just one example of why no single means of protection is sufficient and why we advocate for the Five Layers of Protection."

Developed with input from pediatricians, epidemiologists, and aquatics education professionals, NDPA and its partners advocate that parents and caregivers practice the Five Layers of Protection whenever a child is near open water to prevent a drowning incident. The Five Layers of Protection include:

1. Barriers and Alarms – to help children and unauthorized adults from accessing water unsupervised
2. Supervision – close, constant and capable adult supervision by a designated water watcher or lifeguard anytime children are in or around water
3. Water Competency – equipping every child with basic water safety skills to reduce the risk of drowning and aquatic-related injuries
4. Life Jackets (tested and approved by the U.S. Coast Guard) – to provide protection when you are not expecting to be in the water
5. Emergency Response Preparedness – including CPR training, basic water rescue skills, and having a phone available and ready to call 911

By adopting the Five Layers of Protection when enjoying a backyard pool, while on vacation, or when a child is exposed to open water, parents have the power to prevent drowning.

Added Katchmarchi, "I hear 'I didn't know' from families of fatal and non-fatal drowning victims all the time. This is the phrase that haunts me and every person in the water safety space. The good news is that drowning IS preventable, which is why the goal of the #WaterSafetyChampion campaign is focused on the Five Layers of Protection and what parents need to know to achieve maximum awareness of the tools and best practices available so they are spared the tragedy of the loss of a child due to drowning."

About the 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.

MEDIA CONTACT
Rosalie Hagel Martin
Blue Whale Public Relations
954.683.0027 / [email protected]

SOURCE National Drowning Prevention Alliance