Water Safety and World Drowning Prevention Day

Water Safety and World Drowning Prevention Day

July 15, 2026
Elizabeth Lasker

To be held July 25 this yr, today was created by the World Health Organization to carry consideration to the worldwide subject of drowning and ways in which it may be prevented.

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Every yr, drowning takes greater than 300,000 lives globally and is the main explanation for unintentional dying in kids between 1 and 4 years of age within the United States. It is the second-leading explanation for unintentional damage dying in kids 5 to 14 and stays within the high 5 of unintentional dying till age 55.

Drownings can happen at any location and even when adults and caregivers are current. The most harmful areas do fluctuate by age, the place 87 p.c of drowning fatalities of youngsters youthful than 5 occur in residence swimming pools. The second-leading areas will be bathtubs, ponds, wells, and even buckets. Believe it or not, extra individuals on this world have no idea how you can swim than do.

Drowning dangers additionally fluctuate by race and family earnings. Black kids ages 5 to 19 drown in swimming swimming pools at charges 5.5 occasions larger than white kids in the identical age vary. When mother and father or caregivers haven’t any/low swimming expertise, their kids are extra possible to not study the talents wanted for survival. This impacts 78 p.c of black kids, 62 p.c of Hispanic/Latino kids, and 67 p.c of white kids. 

These statistics are even scarier as a result of drowning is 100% preventable. In 2021, the World Health Organization acknowledged the worldwide subject and created a day to advertise consciousness: World Drowning Prevention Day, to be held this yr on July 25. The purpose is to scale back drowning by 35 p.c by 2035.

This yr, the theme is “Unite to Turn the Tide,” as a result of it isn’t only one individual’s accountability, it’s the complete neighborhood that you just dwell in, the social teams that you just participate in, native and nationwide governments, and the excellent news is that it’s by no means too late to begin studying key interventions and even to begin studying how you can swim.

The No. 1 factor that oldsters/caregivers can do to begin the method of defending their kids is by instructing them to by no means enter a physique of water with out asking for permission, even whether it is to only get into a tub. It needs to be on the identical degree as telling your kids to not contact the range as a result of it’s scorching or to place your seat belt on if you end up in a automobile.

There are a number of actions for teenagers, articles for fogeys, and even apps which can be supplied to help in spreading the phrase on how you can be secure round all our bodies of water.

Learning to swim can cut back the chance of drowning by 88 p.c, and we’re doing our half right here on the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). URecFit and the Wellness Summer U program take part in a six-week summer season camp that gives water security and swim classes thrice per week. Not solely are members studying the extraordinarily essential ability of how you can swim, however in addition they obtain water security data that they’ll take again to their households and mates. Many of the campers have participated in this system for a number of years, have moved by the swim ranges, and are proficient swimmers within the pool.

If you have an interest in studying extra about water security or what you are able to do to assist unfold the phrase about World Drowning Prevention Day, please be happy to achieve out to Elizabeth Lasker, assistant director of aquatics, security, and training at UMB, at elasker@umaryland.edu or by calling 410-350-5611.

Learn extra about World Drowning Prevention Day.