assignment 10 water safety

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Water Safety

What do surfing, fishing, water skiing, and swimming have in common? They are all lots of fun…and they all take place in, on, or around the water! Water activities are a great way to stay cool and have a good time with your friends or your family. Take along these tips — and your common sense — to get wet, make waves, and have a blast!

Top Ten Tips

• DO learn to swim. If you like to have a good time doing water activities, being a strong swimmer is a must.
• DO take a friend along. Even though you may be a good swimmer, you never know when you may need help. Having friends around is safer and just more fun!
• DO know your limits. Watch out for the “too’s” — too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much hard activity.
• DO swim in supervised (watched) areas only , and follow all signs and warnings.
• DO stay alert to currents. They can change quickly! If you get caught in a strong current, don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the shore until you have passed through it. Near piers, jetties (lines of big rocks), small dams, and docks, the current gets unpredictable and could knock you around. If you find it hard to move around, head to shore. Learn to recognize and watch for dangerous waves and signs of rip currents — water that is a weird color, really choppy, foamy, or filled with pieces of stuff.
• DO keep an eye on the weather. If you spot bad weather (dark clouds, lighting), pack up and take the fun inside.
• DON’T mess around in the water. Pushing or dunking your friends can get easily out of hand.
• DON’T dive into shallow water. If you don’t know how deep the water is, don’t dive.
• DON’T float where you can’t swim. Keep checking to see if the water is too deep, or if you are too far away from the shore or the poolside.

Water Wisdom:

Icy If the water’s cold, a wetsuit can be your best friend. Wearing it will make you feel more comfortable, and you’ll keep your body temp from dropping to the danger zone.

Floaters vs. PFDs Q: Can blow-up objects such as rafts work like life preservers? A: Nope. Although they float, they won’t do the trick.

Did You Know? Water covers 80 percent of the Earth!

Lifeline If you see someone struggling in the water, go get help. You can also throw out a life preserver or other object that floats, BUT DO NOT JUMP IN YOURSELF! If you jump in without anyone else around, who will help save YOU if there is a problem?

Watch Out for Mother Nature…

Even if you are an Xpert, things that you can’t control can get you into trouble.

Look out for signs warning you that the water is not clean, because polluted water could make you sick. (And even if it is clean, try not to swallow it. Yuck!)

It’s also smart to keep clear of objects in the water like water plants and animals. They can cause problems for you so, if you see them — go the other way. (You’ve heard about what jellyfish and snapping turtles can do, right?)

Finally, if you’re outside, you need to guard against the sun. Those burning rays reflect off the water and sand onto you…and they can really spoil the fun! So, rub on some sunscreen to get sun proof.

The Deal on Water Parks

If you’ve ever been to a water park, you know that they are s-o-o much fun! Read these BAM! need-to-knows for having a great time on ride after ride.

Read all the signs before going on a ride. Make sure you are tall enough and old enough. Ask questions if you are not sure about how you’re supposed to go on the ride. (On most water slides, you should go down face up, arms crossed behind your head, and feet first with your ankles crossed.)

When you go from ride to ride, don’t run. It’s slippery!

Bumping into others on a slide can hurt. That’s why no “chains” of people are allowed on water rides. So, count five seconds after the rider ahead of you has gone before you take your turn.

Wear a life preserver — the park supplies it for a reason.

The Deal on Boating and Jet Skiing

Skimming over the water is a great ride. You probably aren’t driving a boat or jet ski yourself just yet, but they are lots of fun to ride with an adult! (Remember, they like to have fun too!) You and your parents can check the state rules for how old you have to be, and cruise through this boating site.

Stay alert! When you’re riding, keep a lookout for other boats, jet skiers, water skiers, divers, and swimmers. Who has the right-of-way? Generally, drivers should keep to their right when they are passing other boats — just like you do when you are walking in the hall at school.

Always ride at a speed that will let you stay in control so you can stop or go another way if you need to. It’s also not a good idea to jump wakes (tracks in the water left by other boats or jet skis) or speed through choppy water, because it’s easy to loose control.

Do not ride with a driver who has been drinking alcohol.

Make sure you know and practice what to do if someone falls out of the boat.

Some people teak surf (hold on to the back of the boat and then let go to ride the wave that the boat makes), but you shouldn’t copy them. Teak surfers get too close to the boat, don’t wear life jackets, and breathe exhaust fumes (chemicals) that the boat makes. Sounds like a bad idea to us…

There are a whole lot of ways to have a great time in the water. So, get out there and…

• Swim like a fish!
• Feel the rush of riding the rapids while white water rafting!
• Catch a wave! Go surfing!
• Break the wake!
• Make a splash! Try diving!

Healthy Youth

To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address:

Based on Zip Code Change

• Shop the Red Cross Store

Water Safety

• Share via Email
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn

Ensure every member of your family learns to swim so they at least  achieve skills of water competency : able to enter the water, get a breath, stay afloat, change position, swim a distance then get out of the water safely.

Employ layers of protection including barriers to prevent access to water, life jackets, and close supervision of children to prevent drowning.

Know what to do in a water emergency – including how to help someone in trouble in the water safely, call for emergency help and CPR.

Why Is Water Safety So Important?

It only takes a moment. A child or weak swimmer can drown in the time it takes to reply to a text, check a fishing line or apply sunscreen. Death and injury from drownings happen every day in home pools and hot tubs , at the beach or in oceans , lakes, rivers and streams , bathtubs, and even buckets. 

The Red Cross believes that by working together to improve water competency – which includes swimming skills, water smarts and helping others – water activities can be safer… and just as much fun. 

Red Cross swim lessons help children & adults gain water safety and swimming skills. Ages 6 months – adult.

What Does It Mean to Be Water Competent?

Water competency is a way of improving water safety for yourself and those around you through avoiding common dangers, developing fundamental water safety skills to make you safer in and around the water, and knowing how to prevent and respond to drowning emergencies. Water competency has 3 main components: water smarts, swimming skills and helping others. 

Water Smarts

Take these sensible precautions when you’re around water (even if you’re not planning to swim):

• Know your limitations, including physical fitness, medical conditions.
• Never swim alone; swim with lifeguards and/or water watchers present.
• Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket appropriate for your weight and size and the water activity. Always wear a life jacket while boating, regardless of swimming skill.
• Swim sober.
• Understand the dangers of hyperventilation and hypoxic blackout.
• Know how to call for help.
• River currents.
• Ocean rip currents.
• Water temperature.
• Shallow or unclear water.
• Underwater hazards, such as vegetation and animals.

Swimming Skills

Learn how to perform these 5 skills in every type of water environment that you may encounter (such as in home pools , oceans , lakes, rivers and streams ):

• Enter water that’s over your head, then return to the surface.
• Float or tread water for at least 1 minute.
• Turn over and turn around in the water.
• Swim at least 25 yards.
• Exit the water.

Helping Others

These actions will help your family avoid emergencies – and help you respond if an emergency occurs: 

• Paying close attention to children or weak swimmers you are supervising in or near water.
• Knowing the signs that someone is drowning.
• Knowing ways to safely assist a drowning person, such as “reach or throw, don’t go”.
• Knowing CPR and first aid . 

Want to learn more about water competency? Check out Water Safety USA , a consortium of the American Red Cross and other leading national governmental and nongovernmental organizations whose mission includes drowning prevention. 

How to Make Water Safety a Priority

Use layers of protection in & around water.

• Even if lifeguards are present, you (or another responsible adult) should stay with your children.
• Be a “water watcher” – provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising; avoid distractions including cell phones.
• Teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
• Children, inexperienced swimmers, and all boaters should wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. 
• Fence pools and spas with adequate barriers, including four-sided fencing that separates the water from the house. 
• At the beach, always swim in a lifeguarded area.

Know the Risks & Take Sensible Precautions – Even If You’re a Strong Swimmer

• Always swim with a buddy.
• Don’t use alcohol or drugs (including certain prescription medications) before or while swimming, diving or supervising swimmers.
• Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when boating or fishing, even if you don’t intend to enter the water.

Ensure That the Entire Family Learns How to Swim

Register the whole family for Red Cross swim classes >>

Circle of Drowning Prevention

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 safety survival skills.

Children, inexperienced swimmers, and all boaters should wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.

Always swim in a lifeguarded area.

Know What To Do In An Emergency

Know what to do in an emergency.

• If a child is missing, check the water first: seconds count in preventing death or disability!
• Alert the lifeguard, if one is present.
•  Are not making forward progress in the water.
• Are vertical in the water but unable to move or tread water.
• Are motionless and face down in the water.
• Rescue and remove the person from the water (without putting yourself in danger). 
• Ask someone to call emergency medical services (EMS). If alone, give 2 minutes of care, then call EMS. 
• Begin rescue breathing and CPR. 
• Use an AED if available and transfer care to advanced life support. 

VIDEO: Reach or Throw?

Don’t wait until it’s too late: learn how to respond to aquatic and other emergencies by taking Red Cross first aid, CPR and water safety courses.

Please enter a 5 digit zip code.

Please select a class type

Chain of Drowning Survival

Recognize the signs of someone in trouble and shout for help.

Rescue and remove the person from the water (without putting yourself in danger).

Ask someone to call emergency medical services (EMS). If alone, give 2 minutes of care, then call EMS.

Begin rescue breathing and CPR.

Use an AED if available and transfer care to advanced life support.

Water Safety Resource Center

Download & share.

Layers of protection are essential to help prevent drowning. Plan ahead for aquatic activities. Available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

A person who is drowning has the greatest chance of survival if these steps are followed. Available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

See our top tips for staying safe in the water.

Learn the top 5 tips to save yourself in the water. Available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

Download English Now »

Download Spanish Now »

Download Haitian Creole Now »

Can you swim well enough to save your own life?

¿Puede nadar lo suficientemente bien como para salvar su vida?

Learn the importance of water watchers for keeping children safe during in-water activities. 

Insight, News & Advice

Take Our Water Safety Quiz

Rip Currents – What Lies Beneath

Six Ways to Stay Safe on Spring Break

Teen Lifeguards Save a Child’s Life

Dry Drowning: Fact v. Fiction

Hypoxic Blackout

Preventing Unsupervised Access to Home Pools

140 years of service: Millions Learn to Swim through Red Cross

Help Your Family Be Safer in and Around Water. Children and adults can learn to be safer in and around water with Swim by the American Red Cross. Knowing how to swim is exciting and opens the door to many opportunities, but water is not without risk. Learning to enjoy the water safely should be the first step for anyone who will be around water. Have fun learning water safety in an engaging way with video and activities for kids and families. Track your kids’ progress with this FREE app as they learn to swim.

Or text:  "SWIM" to 90999

Thanks to our sponsor

Call: 1-800-RED-CROSS ( 1-800-733-2767 )

Email: [email protected]

• Monday to Friday 7:30am-10:00pm ET
• Saturday 7:30am-8:00pm ET

Training Services FAQ >>