Comprehensive water safety awareness campaign
Develop a multi-year comprehensive coordinated national water safety awareness campaign with consistent messaging to help educate the public. Include topics such as supervision, barriers, life jackets, and water competency, like water smarts, swimming skills, and helping others.
Progress Notes:
U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan Coalition, Inc. (USNWSAP). National Recommendations for U.S. Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and Life Jacket Use—A Working Document. 2026 ; includes NI 3, NI 29 & NI 30; Specifically addresses Action Recommendation LJ 16.
Recommendations Addressed
Develop and implement consistent national messaging for supervision strategies for parents and caregivers who have responsibility for individuals when in, on, and around the water.
Build national consensus for consistent terminology for life jackets, personal flotation devices (PFDs), rescue, and other flotation devices while boating, swimming, or participating in other water related activities and disseminate widely.
See new publication:
U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan Coalition, Inc. (USNWSAP). National Recommendations for U.S. Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and Life Jacket Use—A Working Document. 2026. (https://watersafetyplan.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/National-Recommendations-for-PFDs-and-Life-Jackets-Final-5-26.pdf)
Includes National Implications 3, 29 & 30; Specifically addresses Action Recommendation LJ 16.
Develop and implement awareness campaigns based on national minimum life jacket educational standard to address the importance of life jacket use among high-risk groups who are boating, paddling, and/or swimming and/or recreating in the water.
Develop and implement public awareness campaigns and educational programs on how to respond to atypical and increasing environmental aquatic hazards. This includes, but is not limited to natural and manmade floodways, flooded roads, drainpipes, and fire hydrant clearing.
Develop and implement an annual comprehensive coordinated national water safety awareness campaign.