Preventing Drowning: Key Steps for Parents

Your Child’s Safety in the Water Starts With You 

Drowning is a leading — and often silent — cause of unintentional injury-related death among children worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, over 236,000 people drown annually — and children under 5 are at the highest risk. The tragedy? Most drownings are preventable. 

As a parent, your awareness, preparation, and vigilance are the most powerful tools to keep your child safe around water. Whether you have a backyard pool, live near a lake, or are planning a beach vacation, this guide outlines the essential, actionable steps you can take today to prevent drowning.

1. Never, Ever Leave a Child Unattended Near Water

Drowning can happen in seconds — and silently. 

Children can drown in as little as 1 inch of water — bathtubs, buckets, inflatable pools, toilets, and hot tubs all pose risks. A child can slip under the surface without crying out or splashing — often unnoticed until it’s too late.

✅ What to do: 

• “Touch supervision” for toddlers: Stay within arm’s reach whenever they’re in or near water.

• Designate a “water watcher” during gatherings — one adult whose sole job is to watch the kids, no distractions.

• Empty buckets, wading pools, and coolers immediately after use.

• Keep bathroom doors closed and toilet lids down. Use toilet locks if needed.

If you must leave — even for 30 seconds — take the child with you.  

2. Enroll Your Child in Swim Lessons — Early and Consistently

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends swim lessons for most children starting at age 1. While lessons don’t “drown-proof” a child, they significantly reduce drowning risk by teaching water competency — floating, treading water, and reaching the edge.

✅ What to do: 

• Choose programs with certified instructors and small class sizes.

• Look for curricula that include survival skills (rolling to back float, underwater recovery).

• Continue lessons year-round — skills fade without practice.

• Even if your child is a strong swimmer, never assume they’re “safe enough” to be unsupervised.

Swim lessons are not a luxury — they’re a lifesaving skill.  

3. Install Layers of Protection Around Home Pools

If you own a pool — even an inflatable or above-ground one — multiple safety barriers are non-negotiable.

✅ Essential pool safety layers: 

• 4-sided isolation fencing (at least 4 feet high) with self-closing, self-latching gates

• Pool alarms on doors, gates, and surface or subsurface water alarms

• Safety covers that meet ASTM standards — not flimsy solar covers

• Door alarms on all exits leading to the pool area

• Remove toys from pool when not in use — they attract unsupervised children

Fences save lives. A child can’t drown in a pool they can’t access.  

4. Learn CPR and Keep Rescue Equipment Handy

In a drowning emergency, seconds count. Immediate CPR can mean the difference between life, disability, or death.

✅ What to do: 

• Take a certified CPR and first aid course (American Red Cross, AHA, etc.) — renew every 2 years.

• Keep a phone poolside to call 911.

• Have a life-saving ring, shepherd’s hook, or reaching pole mounted near the pool — never jump in unless trained (you could become a second victim).

• Post CPR instructions visibly near the pool.

CPR performed by a bystander doubles or triples a child’s chance of survival.  

5. Educate Your Child — and Set Clear Water Rules

Children need to understand water safety just like they learn to look both ways before crossing the street.

✅ Teach and enforce: 

• “No running near the pool”

• “Always ask permission before entering water”

• “Never swim alone — even if you’re a good swimmer”

• “If you fall in, roll to your back and float until help comes”

Use books, videos, and games to reinforce safety messages. Role-play “what if?” scenarios (e.g., “What do you do if you see someone struggling in the water?”).

Knowledge empowers children — and reduces panic in emergencies.  

6. Be Extra Vigilant During Gatherings and Vacations

Drownings often occur during parties, holidays, or trips — when supervision lapses amid distractions.

✅ What to do: 

• Assign rotating “water watcher” shifts (15–30 min each) with no phones or alcohol.

• Use Coast Guard-approved life jackets for weak swimmers — especially at lakes, rivers, or beaches. Water wings and floaties are NOT safety devices.

• Scout vacation rentals for water hazards — unfenced pools, nearby ponds, bathtubs without locks.

• Always enter natural bodies of water feet first — currents, drop-offs, and debris are hidden dangers.

Crowds don’t equal supervision. Designate it — or risk disaster.  

7. Advocate for Safer Water Environments

Your voice matters — in your neighborhood, at your child’s school, and in your community.

✅ Speak up for: 

• Mandatory fencing around neighborhood pools

• Swim lessons in school curricula

• Lifeguards at public pools and beaches

• Clear signage and safety equipment at public water sites

Support organizations like the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) or Safe Kids Worldwide that work to reduce drowning through education and policy.

A Note to Parents of Teens

Drowning isn’t just a “toddler problem.” Teens — especially boys — are at high risk due to overconfidence, peer pressure, alcohol, and risk-taking near water.

✅ Talk openly about: 

• Alcohol and water don’t mix — ever.

• The dangers of jumping/diving into unknown water.

• Rip currents and how to escape them (swim parallel to shore).

• Always swimming with a buddy — even strong swimmers can cramp or get caught in a current.

Final Thoughts: You Are the First and Best Lifeguard

No technology, no fence, no lesson replaces an alert, attentive parent. Drowning is fast, silent, and devastating — but it is also largely preventable.

By layering supervision, education, barriers, and preparedness, you create a safety net that lets your child enjoy the water — without fear.

Don’t wait for an emergency to prepare. Start today.  

Because in the water, there are no second chances — only the ones you protect.

Key Takeaways for Busy Parents: 

🔹 Supervise actively — arm’s reach for toddlers

🔹 Enroll in swim lessons — start early, stay consistent

🔹 Secure your pool — 4-sided fence, alarms, covers

🔹 Learn CPR — it saves brains and lives

🔹 Teach rules — make water safety part of family culture

🔹 Life jackets > floaties — especially in open water

🔹 Assign a “Water Watcher” — every gathering, every time 

Water brings joy, play, and discovery. With your care, it doesn’t have to bring tragedy. 

Be present. Be prepared. Be their protector. 

— Because every child deserves to come home safe from the water.