Red Cross Promotes Water Safety

As summer vacation season get underway, American Red Cross has produced the Circle of Drowning Prevention and the Chain of Drowning Survival to depict steps that people can take to stay safe in, on and around the water. "The Circle of Drowning Prevention and Chain of Drowning Survival have been created to raise awareness of the most important steps that Americans can take to reduce the number of preventable drownings," says Peter Wernicki, MD, FAAOS, who leads the group's aquatics expert panel.

According to a recent water safety poll, nearly half of Americans say they've had an experience where they were afraid they might drown, yet more than half of Americans plan on engaging in behaviors that put them at risk of future drownings when they take to the water this summer.

The Circle of Drowning Prevention shows the layers of protection that can help prevent potential drownings: provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising in or near water; fence pools and spas with adequate barriers, including four-sided fencing; learn swimming and water survival skills; children, inexperienced swimmers, and boaters should wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets; and always swim in a lifeguarded area.

The Chain of Drowning Survival illustrates the steps they should take when they spot someone in distress in the water: recognize the signs of someone trouble and shout for help; rescue and remove the person from water without putting yourself in danger; call emergency medical services; begin rescue breathing and CPR, and use an AED if available and transfer care to advanced life support, if needed.

Downloadable files of the posters and infographics of the Circle of Drowning Prevention and Chain of Drowning Survival can be found here.