Celebrating 21 Years of National Water Safety Month

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This May marked the 21st anniversary of National Water Safety Month, an annual campaign designed to educate people on the dangers water can pose and the importance of learning to swim. 

Since the initiative was first launched back in 2003, a whole host of other national organizations have jumped on board, with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance joining this year as a leader in raising awareness of drowning prevention strategies.   

Following the success of this year’s National Water Safety Month (along with the previous 20 years!), this article will dive deeper into the importance of safe swimming and the leading initiatives that promote this.

National Water Safety Month 2024

National Water Safety Month is one of the most important events of the year when it comes to keeping people safe when swimming. 

It is overseen by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and a range of other organizations, including the American Red Cross, National Drowning Prevention Alliance, World Waterpark Association, and more, making it a prominent campaign in the world of safe swimming.

These coalition leaders have compiled a comprehensive list of water safety resources including brochures and booklets for the safe use of pools, spas and hot tubs. There is also a coloring book and educational videos to engage children in the importance of water safety. 

By using this platform, they have been sharing tips and advice throughout the month of May, including the NDPA’s 5 Layers of Protection, a safety podcast, and Waterpark’s Be Water Aware kit.

Step Into Swim

At Claffey Pools, we’re proud to be industry leaders in the field of water safety which includes being supporters of the Step Into Swim initiative – an organization that focuses on swimming safety and teaching children how to swim.

Step Into Swim was set up in 2012 by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance in order to create more swimmers across the United States. 

Headed up by former US Olympic swimming champion Rowdy Gaines, over the last decade the initiative has helped more than 300,000 children learn how to swim by funding lessons across the country. 

They believe that swimming is a life-saving skill that everyone should have the chance to learn. With this in mind, they frequently organize programs that teach children of all ages and from all backgrounds how to swim. The hope is that the next generation will be better equipped to handle the dangers that water can bring, learn how to properly swim, and enhance their confidence levels.      

This year, Step Into Swim conducted a survey to try and learn more about parental swimming concerns and raise awareness of drowning prevention education.

The survey made a number of interesting discoveries, including:

• Learning to swim from a professional instructor reduces the risk of drowning by 88% for children aged between one to four years old (the age group most at risk of drowning)
• 60% of parents incorrectly assume that a drowning person will be able to draw attention to themselves 
• Only 35% of parents are worried about their child drowning 
• 66% incorrectly believe that floats and water wings are sufficient enough to prevent children from drowning        
• 55% of parents would allow their children to swim in open water such as lakes or oceans without a lifeguard being present 

While some of these results will be somewhat surprising, they underline the importance of proper swimming lessons, water safety tips, and water safety education.  

One of the best ways to prevent children from drowning is to get them used to being in the water, and having a pool installed in your backyard is a great way to do this. At Claffey Pools, we’re leading swimming pool specialists in Southlake TX, Colleyville & Coppell. We can customize pool designs specifically to your backyard where you can make memories and teach crucial swimming skills with your family. To find out more, get in touch with our dedicated team today.