May 2021: Open Water Safety
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May is National Water Safety Month. Even as pools gradually reopen, families will continue to visit rivers, lakes, ponds, and oceans for swimming, boating, and outdoor fun — but many do not know how dangerous open water can be. Just because a child can swim in a pool does not mean they have the necessary skills to swim in open water.
Keep children safer during open water activities by starting with these tips:
Teach children that swimming in open water is different than swimming in the pool. Issues like unknown depths, uneven or rocky surfaces, limited visibility, riptides, and changing weather patterns can make swimming safely more difficult.
Whenever possible, use designated swimming areas, preferably with lifeguards. Stay within any buoys or ropes that mark designated areas.
Make sure to watch children carefully when they are in or around the water. Even if a lifeguard is present, it is still your responsibility to keep children safe. Keep inexperienced swimmers within arm’s reach and ensure that older, more experienced children always have a swim partner.
Teach all swimmers about what to do if they are caught in a rip current or riptide. Children should stay calm and not attempt to swim directly to shore, but instead swim parallel to the shoreline. Once they break free from the riptide, they should swim away from the current towards the shore.
Have a plan for emergencies. Learn what to do in a drowning emergency from the American Red Cross.
More about open water safety:
Find swim classes and lessons (Red Cross) available in your area.
Learn how to choose the right life jacket (United States Coast Guard)
General open water safety information
Keeping Kids Safe in Open Water (Safe Kids)
Drowning Prevention for Curious Toddlers: What Parents Need to Know & Water Safety for Teens(HealthyChildren)
10 Open Water Safety Tips (National Drowning Prevention Alliance)
Take Action
Every month, we are promoting a new action that each family can take to keep their children safer. This month, we want every family to complete an open water safety checklist before visiting oceans, lakes, and rivers this season. Go through this checklist from Safe Kids Worldwide and make sure everyone in the family is ready to swim safely and have fun.
Follow along every month for a new action, and share with us how you're preventing child injury in your home!
Coming Up
On Our Twitter Calendar
April 26 - May 2: National Playground Safety Week
May 3 - 9: National Bicycle Safety Month
May 10 - 16: Outdoor Entertainment Safety
May 17 - 23: Global Road Safety
May 24 - 30: National Water Safety Month
Events
Webinar: The Child Safety Learning Collaborative – Together We Are Stronger
Hosted by: Children’s Safety Network (CSN)
Date/Time: May 5th, 2021 from 2 - 3PM EST
The Child Safety Learning Collaborative (CSLC), an initiative of the Children’s Safety Network (CSN), aims to reduce injury and violence-related fatalities, hospitalizations and emergency department visits among infants, children and youth. This webinar will highlight how CSLC participating states use quality improvement tools and peer support to share unique approaches and find common ground navigating this challenging year, as well as stories and lessons learned from CSLC participants that can be used and adapted by other injury prevention programs. Register for the webinar here.
Webinar: Exploring Speed Management in the US and Abroad
Hosted by: FIA Foundation & the National Center for Safe Routes to School
Date/Time: May 18th, 2021 from 2 - 3:30PM EST
Speeding is one of the major contributing factors to road traffic fatalities in the US. In support of the UN Global Road Safety Week calling for safe speeds in urban areas, this webinar will explore examples of successful speed management at home and abroad. Attendees will hear from leading organizations on strategies and tactics, as well as practitioners on the ground working to prioritize safety. This special webinar, co-hosted with FIA Foundation and the National Center for Safe Routes to School, will be 90-minutes long to accommodate the content and allow time for discussion. Register for the webinar here.
Event: High-Powered Magnets Safety Day of Action & Twitter Chat
Hosted by: Trainees for Child Injury Prevention (T4CIP)
Date/Time: May 19th, 2021 (Twitter Chat 1 - 2PM EDT)
Please join T4CIP for their first Day of Action on May 19, 2021 to advocate for child injury prevention, specifically on prevention of ingestion of high-powered magnets. High-powered magnets have caused thousands of injuries and are considered to be among the most dangerous ingestion hazards in children. Post messages on social media throughout the day using #MagnetSafety and participate in the Twitter chat from 1-2 PM EDT using the same hashtag. Find the Twitter chat questions, graphics sized for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, as well as a GIF and customizable selfie sign to use throughout the day here. See you there!
Trainings: Media 101, Media 201, Social Media
Hosted by: Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Date/Time: Multiple dates available for each training
The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is hosting three online workshops for public health professionals over the next few months. Trainings include: Media 101: Beginner’s Guide to Working with the Media, Media 201: Mastering Your Messaging and Owning Your Interview, and Social Media: Public Health in the Digital Age. Each training is a one-day, four-hour online workshop. Discounts are available for attending multiple trainings. CHES credits available for some trainings. Click here for details and to register. Space is limited, so we encourage you to register now. Please email Laura.Dattner@NationwideChildrens.org with any questions.