What is Drowning Prevention and How Do YOU Do It?

NRPA Aquatics Conference - March 27, 2010

Presenter: Stephanie Shook, CPRP American Red Cross National Headquarters

Drowning is the third leading cause ofunintentional injury death globally, after road

traffic injuries and falls.

World Health Organizationwww.who.int/en

Water Safety Poll

Do people not know or are they just being risky?

Water Safety Poll – March 2009

• What were the intentions of people as they headed out to participate in water activities?

– 87% households were to participate in at least one water-related recreational activity last summer

– 48% planned to swim in a place with no lifeguard– 54% planned to supervise a child near water

• One adult in three didn’t realize that close supervision – staying within arm’s reach – is safer than putting floaties on a small child.

Water Safety Poll – March 2009

• Variations in Water Safety Knowledge

– Older respondents, ages 55 and over, were more likely than others to favor putting floaties on the child (42%)

– African Americans were more likely than others to favor putting floaties on the child (52%)

– College graduates were least likely to favor putting floaties on the child (31%)

Water Safety Poll – March 2009

• Nine in ten agree on:– The need for gated fences around pools– Regular breaks for children– FA/CPR/AED training

• Most were not trained in FA/CPR/AED and intent to seek certification was low– 13% of those not trained planned to get trained

before summer began

Water Safety Poll – March 2009

• One in two (48%) had a near-drowning experience

– Near-drowning experiences occurred about equally in the ocean, lakes or ponds and public pools

– Half were helped by family and friends, a third were able to reach safety unaided

– One in three have helped someone who was in danger of drowning

– One in four know someone who drowned

Water Safety Poll – March 2009

• Regional Values for Key Questions

Northeast North Central South West

Will participate in at least one water-relatedactivity

90% 88% 87% 84%

Plan to swim in a place with NO lifeguard 59% 56% 51% 46%

Excellent swimming skills 38% 37% 46% 54%

Had an experience where they were afraid they might drown

48% 37% 46% 60%

Helped someone who was in danger of drowning 30% 36% 42% 38%

Know someone who drowned 24% 24% 22% 22%

Water Safety Poll – March 2009

ALERTS

ALERTS

• “Mother Turns Herself In After Baby Drowns”

• “Fourth Beach Drowning in a Week”

• “Swimmer Drowns at Indoor Pool on NW Side”

• “Pool Death Ruled a Drowning”

• “New Year’s Eve Celebration Turns Tragic as Ten Year Old Boy Drowns in Hotel Pool”

• “Autopsy Shows Boy’s Drowning was an Accident”

• “Three Boys Fall Through Ice, Drown”

• “Man Drowns in Pond”

• “Twitter Mom Under Fire for Being Online Tweeting when her Son Drowned in the Family Pool”

Tip of the Iceburg

• Sound familiar?

• What are the headlines in your region?

• “Operation Save a Life”

• Swim lesson partnership

• Small town with big town results

• Vamos a nadar

• Vietnamese community

Making a Difference

Pickens County, South Carolina

Operation Save a Life

• The drowning deaths of three people who didnot know how to swim spurred the communityinto action– An aunt, uncle and 8-year-old boy drowned in an

above ground pool

• Partnership– YMCA - Pickens County American Red Cross– United Way - Safe Kids Upstate– Local law enforcement - Community leadership

• Goals– Stopping needless drownings in backyard pools– To educate pool owners on the responsibilities that

come with owning a pool

“Instead of getting the community to come to us, we’re coming to them”

Operation Save a Life

Operation Save a Life

• Water Safety Post Cards – 4,200 mailed to local and surrounding counties– 5,000 given to local law enforcement to distribute as needed

• Water Safety Tip Sheets– Placed near pool repair and upkeep items in pool supply stores

• Anchor Pools– Offering discounts on safety products

• Water Safety website created www.pcymca.net– Home safety checklists, rescue videos and educational materials

• A home water safety talk offered in the community– YMCA staff on hand to offer discounted lesson rates

Middle School Swim Lesson Program

Gainesville, Georgia

• Nearly 40 people drowned in Georgiawaters so far this year

• Too many drownings are happening on our lake– Cultural– Economic

• Partnership– Gainesville Middle School & Frances Meadows

Aquatic and Community Center

Gainesville Middle School

Gainesville Middle School

• Goals– To provide Swimming lessons to all 6th graders

• Swim Strokes• Survivor skills• Discover a new passion in the pool

• 400 students to take lessons each year

“Of this week’s batch of 60 students, only 5 knew how to swim prior to class.”

YMCASmall Town Aquatics Program

Fergus Falls, Minnesota

• Great facilities

• Great programs

• All is good and everybody is happy

“Expand the program to reach beyond city limits to include the people and beaches in the surrounding area?”

YMCA – Fergus Falls, MN

YMCA – Fergus Falls, MN

• Community characteristics:– West Central Minnesota has several thousand lakes– Otter Tail County

• A beautiful swimming beach• No lifeguards on duty due to budget issues

– Five summer camps• One camp taught small craft classes for campers

– Two state parks offering canoe and kayak rentals

– One resort with a sailing program on a lake 40 miles away

YMCA – Fergus Falls, MN

• Potential Issues?– No outdoor aquatic instruction

• Swimming• Small craft use

– Minimal safety information for kayaking, canoeing, sailing, scuba, snorkeling

“Can the YMCA do more to increase aquatic safety in the area? If not us, who would do it?”

YMCA – Fergus Falls, MN

• Strategic Alliances– Community education directors– Lake Owners’ Associations– City government leaders– Civic organizations

• Goals– Outdoor swimming instruction– Full service boating opportunities and instruction

within 5 years

YMCA – Fergus Falls, MN

• Accomplishments of Year 1 – Summer 2009– Identified 7 lakes in 3 counties within 3 school districts to offer

swim lessons.

– Negotiated with the city to reopen the city-owned beach for 65 days. YMCA provided the lifeguards and used for swim instruction.

– Hosted the first annual Regional Aquatic School in collaboration with local Community Education and the Red Cross.

– Community Education departments in neighboring towns advertised and processed registrations for 6 of the 7 lakes where lessons were taught.

YMCA – Fergus Falls, MN

• Oh yeah, and this too…– Increased gross revenue from $4,500 → $48,000

– Increased participation from 400 → 750 students

– Increased safety of students and decreased accident reports

– Positive feedback from parents, community directors and city legislators

Vamos a Nadar(Let’s Go Swimming)

Sonoma County, California

• The Hispanic community comprises 20% of the population, but accounts for 75% of the county’s drowning deaths.

• A disproportionate number of Latinos drown in Sonoma County’s rivers, lakes and pools.

Vamos a Nadar (Let’s go Swimming)

Vamos a Nadar (Let’s go Swimming)

• Collaboration– City of San Rosa– American Red Cross Chapter, Sonoma and

Mendocino Counties

• Goals– To make sure Latin children learn to swim– To teach the parents basic water safety skills– To change the mentality about water safety

• Free day of activities (2004-2009)– Introductory swim lesson– Water safety presentation for parents– Rescue demonstrations (non-swimming rescues)

using personal items and natural resources– Coupon from the Red Cross for a swim lesson

session at any Sonoma County pool– 1,000+ children– 500 parents– One student is now a Lifeguard and Swim instructor– One student has gone on to advanced water camp

Vamos a Nadar (Let’s go Swimming)

Drowning Prevention Campaign in a Vietnamese

Community

Seattle, Washington

• Asian-American children had the highest drowning death rate in Washington State

• Feedback – Focus groups– Community leaders

Drowning Prevention Campaign

• Goals– Community based campaign to:

• Increase water-safe behaviors• Skills• Access to resources in a Vietnamese community

– Promote 3 messages:• Swim in a Lifeguarded area• Learn to swim• Wear a life jacket

Drowning Prevention Campaign

• Informational presentations– Language schools– Head Start– Churches and temples

• Bilingual posters and brochures of lifeguarded beaches and pools – Local businesses – Vietnamese newspapers

• Free Vietnamese family swim lessons

Drowning Prevention Campaign

• Collaborated with State parks to: – Reinstate lifeguards at popular parks– Translate life jacket loaner boards– Translate free swim voucher information– Recruit Asian-Americans as aquatic personnel

• Partners included:– Seattle Parks and Recreation– Washington State Parks– Vietnamese Professionals Society– Denise Louie Head Start– Three Vietnamese Language School– Lynwood Parks– Injury Free coalition for Kids of Seattle– American Academy of Pediatrics– Injury Prevention Division of Public Health Seattle & King County

Drowning Prevention Campaign

How Can YOU Influence Water Safety?

Develop Your Sphere of Influence

Facility Operations

Agency

Community

Family & Friends

Facility Operations

Facility Operations

Operate with a Drowning Prevention Mindset

Well Maintained

Facility

Professional Staff

Rules & Regulations

Signage

Procedures

Equipment

Programs & Variety

Learn to Swim Programs Presentations & Courses

Skills & Knowledge Orientations

Groups & Private Seminars

Take home materials Higher-level education

Facility Access & Usage

Agency-Wide Efforts

Agency-Wide Efforts

• Educate aquatic & non-aquatic staff– Front Gate– Concessions– Instructional– Camp Counselors– Fitness & Wellness– Executive level staff– PR Department– Communications/Marketing

Community Efforts

Community Efforts

• Targeted for your community– Environmental characteristics– Human/cultural characteristics– Circumstances– Timing

• Specific goals• Outreach

• Media Outreach• Presentations• Events• Leaflets & Brochures• Signage• Equipment• Face to Face• Instruction

• Partnerships• Proclamations• Legislation

Community Efforts

• Messaging– Specific– Address the needs of high-risk groups

Community Efforts

What exactly does supervision around the water mean?

Swimming Safely in Lakes, Rivers and Streams Tear Sheet

Stock No. 651326

Home Pool and Hot Tub Maintenance Tear Sheet

Stock No. 651325

www.ShopStayWell.com

Community Efforts

Longfellow’s WHALE Tales K – 6 Educational Packet

Stock No. 651315

www.HomePoolEssentials.org

Community Efforts

Your Neck of the Woods

• Who is drowning in your area?

• Why are they drowning?

• What have you done?

Summary

• Big or small, just start!

• Walk the walk.

• Target your audience.

• Take it to them.

• Collaboration is important.

• Tell your story.

Questions?