NEW JERSEY — As families prepare for summer activities around pools, lakes and beaches, the American Red Cross is reminding residents that drowning is preventable but often happens quickly and silently.
May is recognized as National Water Safety Month, a campaign aimed at increasing awareness about drowning risks, particularly among young children and people under 30, who remain among the groups most affected by water-related deaths.
The Red Cross said many people mistakenly expect drowning victims to splash or call for help, when in reality most incidents occur quietly and in less than a minute, even in shallow water.
Research cited by the organization found that bystanders are frequently the first people to respond during drowning emergencies, with more than 60% of rescues occurring before professional help arrives.
“Everyone near water plays a role in keeping people safe,” said Wendy Vara, regional executive, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “Whether it’s a child, a friend or a stranger, you may be the only person in a position to recognize distress and respond.”
The Red Cross is urging families to remain actively engaged whenever children or inexperienced swimmers are near water.
Among the organization’s recommendations:
- Never allow anyone to swim alone.
- Keep young children under constant supervision near water.
- Designate a “water watcher” to monitor swimmers without distractions.
- Use properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets for young children and inexperienced swimmers.
- In an emergency, “reach or throw, don’t go,” meaning bystanders should throw a flotation device or extend an object rather than entering the water themselves.
The organization also announced that its Longfellow’s WHALE Tales Water Safety for Children program is now available in Spanish. The free program provides water safety lessons for children in kindergarten through fifth grade and includes downloadable lesson plans, videos and activities covering pools, oceans, lakes, rivers and waterparks.
The Red Cross Aquatics Centennial Campaign, launched in 2014, also continues to expand water safety education and swim instruction programs nationwide. According to the organization, the initiative has provided nearly 159,000 swim lesson sets and trained thousands of junior lifeguards, lifeguards and water safety instructors.
Additional information, educational resources and swim safety materials are available at redcross.org/watersafety.
