Families play a vital role in creating safe environments around water, safe behaviors, and understanding the multiple layers of protection, including active supervision, four-sided barriers, swim skills, life jackets, and safe rescues—all essential in reducing drowning risk. Equally important is supporting children in building water competency, which includes swimming skills, water safety knowledge, and the ability to recognize dangerous situations.
Pediatricians can help reinforce drowning prevention as an ongoing family safety conversation by providing anticipatory guidance during visits and encouraging caregivers to model safe behaviors around water. These resources are designed to help families learn, plan, and take action to keep every child safer in and around water.
Organization |
Drowning Prevention Topic Areas |
Resources Provided |
Website |
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American Academy of Pediatrics (Drowning Prevention Campaign Toolkit) |
All layers of protection |
Infographics, video PSAs, links to water safety articles on healthychildren.org Available in English or Spanish |
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American Heart Association |
CPR training |
CPR and first aid class finder |
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American Red Cross |
Swim lessons/water competency; CPR training |
Information on Red Cross swim lessons and CPR classes |
Swimming Lessons for Kids | Learn to Swim | Red Cross Spanish: CRP Classes | Cruz Roja Americana Spanish: Children’s Water Safety Program | Cruz Roja Americana |
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Consumer Product Safety Commission |
Barriers |
Link to safety barrier guidelines for home pools |
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National Autism Society |
Wandering prevention (avoiding unanticipated access to water) |
Big red safety box toolkit for preventing and responding to ASD wandering- related emergencies Toolkit available in Spanish |
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National Drowning Prevention Alliance |
All layers of prevention |
Water Safety Season toolkit; Downloadable and printable posters, checklist, and cards in PDF format; Swim program checklist Some materials available in Spanish |
NDPA - National Drowning Prevention Alliance |
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Pool Safely (Consumer Product Safety Commission) |
All layers of prevention |
Parents can take the pool safely pledge and download a free toolkit |
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Royal Life Saving Australia |
All layers of prevention |
Community resources in 14 different languages |
Resources by Language | Royal Life Saving Society - Australia |
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Safe Kids |
All layers of prevention |
Infographics, video, links to water safety |
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US Coast Guard |
Lifejackets |
Information on life jacket wear and how to choose the right lifejacket |
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Water Safety USA |
All layers of prevention including swim lessons/water competency |
US National Water Safety Action Plan: Practical guidance for caregivers on selecting a learn-to-swim program |
What to Look for in a Learn to Swim Program - Water Safety USA |
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YMCA |
Swim lessons/water competency |
Information on the Y’s “Safety Around Water Program” and Swim lessons Spanish speaking instructors available |
Last Updated
03/24/2026
Source
American Academy of Pediatrics