Water Safety USA Founded to Prevent Drownings
It is focused on water safety and drowning prevention and will provide resources, information, and tools, magnifying the reach of the members' safety advice in order to collaboratively improve water safety.
Thirteen organizations that include CDC, the American Red Cross, and Boy Scouts of America are founding members of a new organization named Water Safety USA that was announced April 12. It is focused on water safety and drowning prevention and will provide resources, information, and tools, magnifying the reach of the members' safety advice in order to collaboratively improve water safety.
"We've all agreed we'll be even more effective working together. As our messaging aligns and we promote it in concert, public understanding should improve, and safer use of our waters will be the result," said B. Chris Brewster, Water Safety USA's moderator and liaison officer for the United States Lifesaving Association.
The founding members of Water Safety USA are the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Park Service, National Safe Boating Council, National Swimming Pool Foundation, Safe Kids Worldwide, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, United States Lifesaving Association, USA Swimming Foundation, and YMCA of the USA.
According to the Red Cross, there are nearly 5,800 annual trips to emergency rooms and more than 3,800 deaths due to drowning.