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Light It Blue for World Drowning Prevention Day

July 13, 2026

Now in its fifth year, World Drowning Prevention Day was established by the World Health Organization and the UN to honor lives lost to drowning and call for urgent action on water safety and drowning prevention.

For families and communities who have experienced the devastating loss of a loved one due to drowning, this day is an opportunity to turn grief into action, raise awareness about the crisis of drowning, and bring much-needed attention to water safety.

We are mobilizing cities, buildings and landmarks across the U.S. to light up in blue on July 25 to bring attention to this ongoing public health crisis. With nearly 100 locations across 36 states already confirmed to participate (building tracker) – including Philadelphia’s One Liberty Place, the Cities of Orlando and Tampa, FL, Chicago’s 875 North Michigan Avenue, two NFL stadiums, Houston City Hall and the Hawaii Convention Center – the response has been overwhelming. Our goal is to literally shine a light on the drowning crisis and drive greater awareness and education around water safety nationwide.

How to Participate

  • Building outreach: If you know any buildings in your city or state that would be able and willing to participate, we encourage you to reach out to them. Attached is a sample letter of outreach.
  • Social media posts: Visit the lit-up buildings in your area, take pictures, and post about the initiative either on or after World Drowning Prevention Day to help increase visibility to our united cause. Suggested copy below.
  • Submit photos: Send photos of the participating building, landmark etc. in your area to swim@thezacfoundation.org so we can highlight this national initiative.

Suggested Social Media Copy

This #WorldDrowningPreventionDay, [local building name] lit up blue alongside nearly 100 sites across 36 states.

Approximately 4,500 people drown every year in the U.S. alone. That’s over 12 preventable deaths every day.

Together with @who, @usnwsap, and @thezacfoundation, we’re United to Turn the Tide on drowning, because water safety matters and drowning prevention is everyone’s responsibility.

#WorldDrowningPreventionDay #UnitetoTurntheTide

Links & Downloadable Content

Light It Blue Campaign Flyer

Sample letter of outreach

World Drowning Prevention Day, Unite to Turn the Tide Campaign Toolkit 2026

New Resource Released: National Recommendations for U.S. Coast Guard Approved PFD and Life Jacket Use—A Working Document

May 19, 2026

 

The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan Coalition, Inc. has released the National Recommendations for U.S. Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and Life Jacket Use—A Working Document, a collaborative resource intended to support more consistent guidance, education, and public messaging around life jacket and PFD use across the United States.

Created in response to Action Recommendations and National Implications outlined in the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan, the document brings together current best practices and considerations related to U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) and life jackets for boating, open water recreation, pools, instructional environments, and supervised aquatic activities.

Key Topics Covered

The publication explores a wide range of topics, including:

  • Consistent Terminology and Messaging: Guidance on unified language and public messaging around life jackets and PFDs.
  • Environment and Activity Guidance: Recommendations tailored for different water environments and activities.
  • Age and Ability Recommendations: Advice for age- and ability-specific use.
  • Fit, Selection, and Maintenance: Proper fit, selection, maintenance, and performance considerations.
  • Layers of Protection: Strategies combining life jackets/PFDs with supervision, water competency, swim instruction, barriers, and education.
  • Policy and Risk Management: Policy, education, and risk management considerations.
  • Access: Ensuring access to water safety resources and equipment for everyone.

Emphasis on Layers of Protection

The document highlights that while life jackets and PFDs are proven drowning prevention tools, their effectiveness increases when combined with additional layers of protection such as active supervision, water competency, swim instruction, barriers, and public education.

Audience and Collaboration

Developed collaboratively by the USNWSAP Life Jacket Working Group alongside water safety professionals, agencies, advocates, and organizations committed to advance drowning prevention nationwide, this working document is intended to support water safety professionals, aquatic agencies, educators, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and community organizations working to create safer aquatic environments across the United States.

As a working document, the publication is intended to help strengthen alignment across the water safety sector while supporting future discussion, education, policy development, and community implementation efforts.

Access the Full Document

Access the full National Recommendations for U.S. Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and Life Jacket Use—A Working Document for more detailed information.

Share Your Story for World Drowning Prevention Day

May 1, 2026

Your Impact Matters, Help Us Tell the Story

Every action matters and every story helps build a stronger movement for water safety.

Starting May 1st, we’re collecting stories, photos, and videos that show how you’re making a difference. Whether big or small, your efforts can inspire others across the country.

Here are a few ideas that you can share:

  • Photos from swim lessons, life jacket fittings, or water safety events
  • A community story or news article promoting water safety
  • A personal reflection or news coverage showcasing what water safety means in your community

We can’t wait to hear from you! Submit your story and help us amplify the message of water safety from now until July and help us show the world what water safety looks like in the U.S.!

Share Now

 

 

USNWSAP Welcomes Leadership Team

April 2, 2026

(Excerpt from March 2026, Q1 Newsletter; Letter from the Board Chair)

 

As we move into spring, momentum around the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan (USNWSAP) continues to grow—thanks to your leadership, collaboration, and ongoing commitment to preventing drowning and promoting water safety strategies nationwide.

This season marks an exciting new chapter for the Plan’s leadership. We are pleased to share that Connie Harvey is our new Chair of the Steering Committee. Connie brings decades of experience in injury prevention and community safety, along with a deep commitment to advancing water safety at both the national and local levels. Her leadership within the American Red Cross and across multiple safety initiatives helped shape effective, community-centered approaches to drowning prevention, and we are grateful for her continued dedication to this work.

We are also proud to share a major milestone: the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan officially established its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. This achievement marks an important step forward in strengthening the organization’s long-term sustainability, governance, and capacity to expand its national impact.

As part of this transition, we are pleased to announce the appointment of inaugural board leadership. Joining me [Chair, Megan Ferraro], on the Board are David Bell as Vice Chair Pro Tem and Morag MacKay as Treasurer Pro Tem. Morag contributes deep expertise in global water safety and international program development; and David offers a strong background in public safety leadership and operational strategy. Together, the inaugural board will  provide a well-rounded foundation for the USNWSAP’s future.

Together, we are moving closer to a nation where water safety is a natural part of everyday life, and everyone can enjoy the benefits of water—safely.

 

Learn more about the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan at www.watersafetyplan.us.

New Export Feature Now Available Across USNWSAP Databases

March 27, 2026

The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan (USNWSAP) is excited to introduce a new export feature designed to make it easier than ever to access, share, and apply information from the Plan.

As highlighted in our latest video tutorial, this new functionality allows users to quickly download and work with data from three key USNWSAP resources:

  • Action Recommendations
  • National Implications
  • Research Agenda

Whether you’re developing a state, county, or community-level water safety strategy, supporting policy efforts, conducting research, or aligning organizational priorities, this new feature helps you move from exploration to implementation more efficiently.

What This Means for You

With the new export capability, you can:

  • Customize the data most relevant to your work
  • Download content for offline use, planning, and collaboration
  • Integrate USNWSAP insights directly into your own strategies and documents

This enhancement reflects our ongoing commitment to making the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan more actionable, accessible, and useful for partners across sectors.

Access the Databases

Explore and export content directly from each database:

Watch the Tutorial

Need a quick walkthrough? Watch the step-by-step tutorial to learn how to use the export feature:

YouTube player

 

This new functionality is one more step toward supporting coordinated, data-informed action to reduce drowning and improve water safety nationwide.

Advancing Drowning Prevention: Introducing the USNWSAP Research Agenda

March, 26, 2026

Drowning remains a significant public health issue in the United States, with thousands of lives lost each year and many more impacted by nonfatal incidents. To better understand and address this challenge, the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan (USNWSAP) has released its Research Agenda, a critical resource designed to guide future study, investment, and innovation in drowning prevention.

Throughout the development of the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan, numerous evidence gaps were identified, underscoring the need for more applied research to strengthen prevention efforts. With limited funding available, it is essential to focus on the most impactful questions and ensure resources are used strategically. The Research Agenda was created to do just that, serving as an advocacy and alignment tool to identify priority research areas and clearly communicate them to researchers, funders, and partners working to reduce drowning.

What’s Included in the Research Agenda?

The Research Agenda identifies priority gaps in knowledge across the following key areas:

  • Water Competency, Water Safety, and Swimming Lessons
  • Barriers, Alarms, and Other Technology
  • Supervision and Lifeguards
  • Life Jackets and Flotation Devices
  • Rescue and CPR
  • Data and Public Health Surveillance

Each key area highlights the most pressing research questions, providing a roadmap for researchers, funders, and practitioners to focus efforts where they can have the greatest impact.

In addition to the prioritized key areas, the Research Agenda also includes a Top 20 prioritized list, highlighting the highest-ranked research gaps identified through a modified Delphi process. This list includes:

  • 8 from water competency, water safety, and swimming lessons
  • 5 from barriers, alarms and other technology
  • 3 from data and public health surveillance
  • 2 from life jackets and flotation devices
  • 2 from rescue and CPR

Get Started

Whether you are a researcher, policymaker, funder, or practitioner, the USNWSAP Research Agenda offers a clear opportunity to align efforts, close critical gaps, and ultimately save lives.

Mastering the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan: A Guide for Local Leaders

April 29, 2025

As we step into the third year of the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan (USNWSAP), there is a growing opportunity—and responsibility—for water safety professionals, policymakers, and community leaders to turn awareness into action. The USNWSAP is not just a document; it’s a national roadmap designed to reduce drowning across the country through targeted, evidence-informed strategies. Whether you’re leading efforts in a small community or shaping policy at the state level, the plan offers a roadmap to creating real, measurable change.

Here’s a breakdown of the plan, why it matters, and how you can start applying its principles today.

The Mission Behind the Plan

The mission of the USNWSAP is clear and urgent: Prevent drowning in the United States through evidence-informed action. Transform the country into a nation where water safety is a natural part of everyday life and people enjoy the benefits of the water, safely.

To achieve this mission, the USNWSAP works to bring together stakeholders from every level—local, county, state, and national—to create and implement strategies that reduce drowning incidents in the United States. Drowning remains a leading cause of injury-related death, especially for young children and underserved communities. The plan addresses this by fostering collaboration and emphasizing data-driven, community-specific solutions.

A Vision for a Safer Nation

At its core, the vision of the USNWSAP is a United States where everyone is safe in, on, and around water. That includes swimming in backyard pools, paddling in lakes, or boating in coastal waters—all with equitable access to safety resources, education and training, and protective measures.

What’s Inside the Plan?

The USNWSAP is a 10-year plan (2023–2032) built around five evidence-based areas:

  1. Barriers, Entrapment, and Electrocution
  2. Lifeguards and Supervision
  3. Life Jackets, Personal Flotation Devices, and Other Flotation
  4. Rescue and CPR
  5. Water Safety, Water Competency, and Swimming Lessons

These strategies are supported by robust recommendations in a sixth area, Data and Public Health Surveillance. The plan helps leaders develop context-specific plans using an adaptable framework, tools, and guidance that reflect local needs.

One of the plan’s key features is its Reflection to Action guidance document—featuring a step-by-step process to help local parties assess current water safety efforts, identify gaps, and implement targeted interventions.

A National Framework with Local Flexibility

While the USNWSAP sets national priorities, its strength lies in local application. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it encourages:

  • Use of local data to understand drowning risks
  • Collaboration across sectors, such as schools, parks, health departments, nonprofits, and emergency services personnel
  • Creative funding approaches and resource-sharing
  • Community engagement to elevate diverse voices

It also includes a Database of 98 Evidence-Informed Action Recommendations.

National Support for Local Success

To ensure success at every level, the plan outlines “National Implications”—actions that national organizations, agencies, and coalitions can take up to support local efforts. Examples of these include:

  • Standardizing data collection
  • Advocating for minimum national standards for swim instruction, lifeguard certification, and other safety measures
  • Developing advocacy toolkits and model legislation
  • Encouraging federal investment in water safety programs

These top-down initiatives are essential for unlocking funding, aligning priorities, and ensuring that local communities have the support they need.

Tools You Can Use Today

One of the most powerful aspects of the USNWSAP is its digital presence. The website, www.watersafetyplan.us, launched in January 2025, is a centralized hub packed with actionable tools:

Whether you are building a coalition from scratch or refining an existing program, the site provides a user-friendly entry point for engagement and impact.

How to Get Started

If you’re ready to take the next step, here’s a simple framework for engagement:

  • Collaborate: Bring together partners—fire departments, school districts, learn-to-swim programs, etc.—to begin planning collaboratively.
  • Reflect: Review your current programs, waterscapes, and data. Where are the gaps? What communities are most at risk?
  • Explore: Dive into the USNWSAP recommendations and resources. Find tools that align with your goals.
  • Act: Implement evidence-informed strategies and measure your results.
  • Contribute: Share your successes and challenges. Your local story can help shape national priorities.

Join the Movement

Engaging with the USNWSAP and developing a local strategy does not require a mandate or massive budget. It requires passion, purpose, and a willingness to collaborate across sectors. Every local action contributes to a national movement—and every life saved is a step toward the vision of a safer, more water-aware America.

Have questions or want help getting started? Contact the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan at info@watersafetyplan.us.

Together, we can build a United States where everyone is safe in, on, and around water.

Learn more and access the full plan at www.watersafetyplan.us.