May is
Water Safety Month!
Grab your life vest, because we're wading our way to drowning prevention!
Did you know that in 2024...
84% of drownings happened when children were not expected to be swimming.
Florida had the highest number of fatal drownings in the nation.
Most cases happened while parents were distracted inside the house or not present at all.
About 1 in 4 child drowning victims were autistic.
You can help us sail to a BETTER and SAFER future in 2025.
Data provided by the Department of Children and Families Family Safety Program.
Know the truth to stay afloat!
MYTH: If you know how to swim, drowning is impossible.
FACT: Drowning can happen to anyone, even experienced swimmers!
MYTH: If you are not swimming, there is no risk of drowning or water-related accidents.
FACT: Most youth drowning deaths happen when they are not expected to be swimming!
MYTH: You will know when someone is drowning.
FACT: Drowning is often quiet and quick. You may not notice that anything is wrong!
Long before the pool,
there are bathtime rules!
Even in the bathtub, there are precautions to take to prevent drowning accidents and injuries.
Stay within arm's reach of your child at all times.
Have everything you need before bathtime begins.
Stay focused and alert during the entire bath.
Don't leave your child unattended in or near the tub.
Keep watch even when the tub is filling or draining.
Do not leave your child in the bath unattended for any reason. If you must leave the room, wrap your child in a towel and take them with you — even if some bubbles come along, too!
Remember:
Remove toys from the bath when they are not being used.
They could encourage your child to get in the water by themselves.
Responding to emergencies...
As soon as you realize a child is missing, check all nearby water sources first. Be ready to call 911 in case of an emergency. They can help guide you through CPR if needed.
If you find a child drowning, use a safety device to remove them from the water immediately. For everyone’s safety, do not jump in without a safety device like a life ring.
Remember:
Pool toys and floaties are NOT safety devices,
and they need to be removed when swim time is over.
Most drownings happen in pools, hot tubs, and spas...
but those might be beyond the backyard.
Kids like to explore and wander, and that can sometimes lead them into pools or bodies of water they are not supposed to be in.
Barriers are a sure way to protect children from accessing pools without supervision. Locked gates or doors with alarms give adults a chance to notice a child’s absence.
Talk to your neighbors about barriers and water safety!
Autistic children are at a greater risk for drowning accidents.
Autistic children account for nearly 6% of Florida's child population, but over 25% of child drownings.
Why?
Every child is unique, but in some cases, children on the autism spectrum are more likely to wander away from safety than their non-autistic peers. Some autistic children also have a special interest in water or swimming.
To best protect children with autism, parents, educators, and swim instructors must teach water safety in all kinds of ways. No approach is one-size-fits-all, so get to know every child to see what kind of learning works best for them.
There is no substitute for adult supervision.
The strongest drowning prevention method is also the simplest -
Be there. Be aware.
Be a Water Watcher.
To promote the importance of water safety for families and providers in Florida, Prevent Child Abuse Florida has developed a free, asynchronous, virtual water safety training. The training can be accessed by visiting: https://preventchildabusefl.reach360.com/share/course/
or by scanning the QR Code below
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Living in Florida, we are almost completely surrounded by water. Whether you call the white sand beaches of Santa Rosa Beach home, or grew up fishing on the St. Johns River, you have experienced just how powerful the water can be.
While water safety is always important, it becomes prioritized in the summer months as Floridians take to the water to beat the heat! As the weather warms up and schools begin to close for the summer, families, youth and summer camps across the state will head to the nearest beaches, pools, and lakes.
Unfortunately, not all water goers will be properly supervised or able to swim. Commit to promoting water safety in your community by knowing the facts, getting trained in CPR, and being a water watcher!
Water Safety Training
This training highlights water safety facts and water injury prevention methods and resources.