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Research Agenda

Explore the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan Research Agenda below to view priority evidence gaps and research questions aligned with the Plan. It is intended to guide researchers, funders, and partners toward addressing priority evidence gaps in drowning preventing. Click on a topic area to filter the full agenda, and/or a specific evidence gap or research question to learn more.

We are interested in understanding when research funding studies are underway so we can track progress on addressing the priority gaps. Those working on one of the gaps or questions are invited to complete the form provided under the respective gap or question.

To download specific Research Agenda items, check “Add to PDF” then click “Download your choices” in the bottom right corner of your screen. Click here for the full tutorial.

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  • 1041 = Research Agenda Subcategory Menu
  • 1011 = Status Marker Key (Unassigned, Active, etc.)
Unassigned: No Work Underway
Active: Study Underway
Finalizing: Study Complete
Completed: Results Published
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  • 1765 = Research Agenda EXPORT – Date & Surveillance
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  • 1786 = Research Agenda EXPORT – Barriers, Alarms and Other Technology
  • 1789 = Research Agenda EXPORT – Rescue & CPR
  • 1791 = Research Agenda EXPORT – Lifejackets and Flotation
  • 1795 = Research Agenda EXPORT – Supervision and Lifeguards
  • 1798 = Research Agenda EXPORT – Water Competency

Barriers, Alarms, and Other Technology

This section of research gaps and questions intends to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of barriers, alarms, and other technologies and interventions to increase their adoption and implementation.

RA-BA 1
Unassigned

Identify the ways children bypass barriers, alarms, and other devices to access residential pools.

RA-BA 2
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of safety technologies (other than pool fencing) in reducing unauthorized access and drowning incidence in residential pools.

Evaluate the effectiveness of barriers (other than pool fencing), alarms, and other technology in reducing:

  • unauthorized access to residential pools.
  • drowning incidence in residential pools.
RA-BA 3
Unassigned

Determine the effectiveness of policies and legislation requiring barriers, alarms, signage, and other technology, in reducing drowning in pools and open bodies of water.

Determine the effectiveness of policies and legislation requiring barriers, alarms, warning flags or signage, or other technology, in reducing drowning incidence in:

  • residential pools.
  • community and apartment pools.
  • open bodies of water.
RA-BA 4
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of safety technologies in reducing unauthorized access and drowning incidence in community and apartment pools.

Evaluate the effectiveness of barriers, alarms, and other technology in reducing:

  • unauthorized access to community and apartment pools.
  • drowning incidence in community and apartment pools.
RA-BA 5
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of drowning detection technologies in identifying submersion and drowning patterns at lifeguarded pools.

RA-BA 6
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of awareness campaigns, flags, signage, and fines in increasing site-specific risk awareness and reducing open water drowning incidence.

Evaluate the effectiveness of awareness campaigns, warning flags and signage, and fines in:

  • increasing awareness of site-specific risks for open bodies of water.
  • reducing drowning incidence in open bodies of water.
RA-BA 7
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to raise awareness of drowning risk at community and apartment pools.

RA-BA 8
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing adoption of barriers, alarms, and other technology.

RA-BA 9
Unassigned

Determine if fences or barriers around bodies of water reduce drowning for people with autism.

RA-BA 10
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of safety technologies in reducing unauthorized access and drowning incidence for open bodies of water.

Evaluate the effectiveness of barriers, alarms, and other technology in reducing:

  • unauthorized access to open bodies of water.
  • drowning incidence in open bodies of water.
RA-BA 11
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing awareness or adoption of barriers, alarms, and other technology for open bodies of water.

RA-BA 12
Unassigned

Identify perceived obstacles to the installation of barriers, alarms, and other technology in residential pools.

RA-BA 13
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of fences and barriers around high-risk open bodies of water (e.g., retention ponds, routes to schools, public walkways bridging water between buildings, and waterways near businesses serving alcohol) in reducing drowning incidence.

RA-BA 14
Unassigned

Identify pool and spa safety devices that may benefit from new, or more detailed, standards and third-party testing.

Rescue and CPR

This section of research gaps and questions intends to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of rescue-related strategies, including CPR and related technology, training and policy.

RA-RES CPR 1
Unassigned

Identify legislative barriers (at local, state, and federal levels) to the education and training of the general public in boat-based rescue techniques.

RA-RES CPR 2
Unassigned

Assess the cost-benefit of delivering CPR training through schools and develop a cost-effective school-based CPR training model.

Assess the cost-benefit of delivering CPR training through schools.

  • Develop a cost-effective model for delivering CPR training through schools.
RA-RES CPR 3
Unassigned

Evaluate the effect of EMS and Emergency Department drowning protocols on morbidity and mortality of drowning patients.

RA-RES CPR 4
Unassigned

Identity human, training, and environmental factors that influence rescue device use and bystander rescue decisions by evaluating barriers to intervention, untrained bystander decision-making, and effective messaging for target audiences and sites.

Identity the factors (human, training, and environmental) that influence an individual’s use of a rescue device, or decision to initiate a rescue.

  • Identify and evaluate barriers to intervention by bystander rescuers.
  • Identify and evaluate the decision-making process by untrained bystanders regarding the selection and effective use of life-saving equipment.
  • Identify and evaluate effective messaging for target audiences and sites.
RA-RES CPR 5
Unassigned

Evaluate the presence and impact of rescue devices (such as life rings, buoys, throw ropes, tubes, etc.) available at public sites for boating, swimming, and other types of water recreation.

RA-RES CPR 6
Unassigned

Assess cognitive and technical skill retention of the public when including both compressions and ventilations in CPR training, as compared to compression-only.

RA-RES CPR 7
Unassigned

Evaluate the impact of the Virginia Graeme Baker Act on drain entrapment at residential and non-residential facilities.

RA-RES CPR 8
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of drones in rescue by professional and lay responders.

RA-RES CPR 9
Unassigned

Evaluate the differences and effectiveness of the ABC and CAB methods as it relates to drowning resuscitation.

RA-RES CPR 10
Unassigned

Identify and evaluate the impact of standardized tactics, techniques, and procedures in the training of lifeguards (pool-based and surf-based), swift-water rescue, and EMS professionals on performance and drowning prevention.

RA-RES CPR 11
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of commercial or improvised flotation devices used for the purpose of a water rescue.

RA-RES CPR 12
Unassigned

Assess the impact of school-based CPR training initiatives into lay-responder care of fatal and non-fatal drownings.

Life Jackets and Flotation Devices

This section of research gaps and questions intends to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of flotation device and life jacket technology and design, messaging, and legislative standards.

RA-LJ 1
Unassigned

Evaluate whether life jacket loaner programs increase life jacket use and reduce drowning risk across diverse water environments.

Evaluate whether life jacket loaner programs:

  • increase use of life jackets.
  • decrease drowning risk at various sites, such as designated and non-designated swim sites, boating sites, water parks, etc.
RA-LJ 2
Unassigned

Determine the optimal flotation device use and design for recreational water activities by identifying label, messaging, and design features that promote correct, consistent use across diverse populations, including teens, young adults, and males.

Determine the optimal flotation product use and design for boating and non-boating activities like swimming and wading, addressing the types of situations and populations that are most likely to experience drowning while engaged in recreational water use.

  • Identify the design features on product warning labels and/or public messaging strategies of a flotation device that will encourage use by the intended user population in open water and non-boating activities.
    • Identify the characteristics of a label that will ensure or promote proper use; ensure flotation device labels inform when a given product type should be used.
  • Determine what flotation device design elements facilitate correct and consistent use.
  • Identify what design features and public health messages are necessary to facilitate use by a diverse group of people, including individual size, age, gender, cultures, and physical and cognitive capabilities.
    • Identify the characteristics of a life jacket that teens, young adults, and males will wear to prevent drowning in open water.
RA-LJ 3
Unassigned

Evaluate the efficacy of existing and new communication campaigns (year-round or seasonal) addressing the importance of life jacket use among high-risk groups who are boating, paddling, and/or swimming, including: people who have voluntarily left a boat; swimmers from shore; teenage and adult males; young children; and racial and ethnic populations at increased risk of drowning.

RA-LJ 4
Unassigned

Determine whether flotation devices used by young children decrease or increase drowning risk in pools and open water, and investigate the intended and unintended consequences of their use.

Determine whether flotation devices used by young children decrease or increase risk of drowning in pools and open water.

  • Investigate both intended and unintended consequences of young children’s use of flotation devices in pools and open water (such as lakes, rivers, ponds, ocean, etc.)
RA-LJ 5
Unassigned

Evaluate whether wearing a life jacket promotes risk-taking behaviors by children, teens, and young adults swimming in open water.

RA-LJ 6
Unassigned

Determine whether flotation devices intended to assist in swimming skill acquisition, and early life jacket use (ages 1-4), each enhance or delay the attainment of swim competency skills.

Determine if flotation devices intended to assist in acquiring swimming skills delay or improve the attainment of swim competency skills.

  • Determine if life jacket use at a young age (1-4 yrs) delays or improves the attainment of swim competency skills.
RA-LJ 7
Unassigned

Assess the effectiveness and need for life jackets by evaluating which flotation devices prevent drowning during swimming in pools and open water settings.

Assess the effectiveness and need for life jackets in different circumstances.

  • Evaluate what flotation devices are effective for drowning prevention for swimming activities in pools and open water such as lakes and rivers (within and outside of designated swim areas).
RA-LJ 8
Unassigned

Determine the impact of child life jacket use on supervisor and child perceptions and behaviors in, on, and around water.

RA-LJ 9
Unassigned

Identify the barriers and facilitators such as availability, access, cost, and design to mandate life jacket usage.

RA-LJ 10
Unassigned

Identify and address barriers that deter manufacturers and entrepreneurs from the rapid development of new designs and bringing new flotation devices to market.

RA-LJ 11
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of life jacket requirements for non-boating water-related activities.

RA-LJ 12
Unassigned

Develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a risk-situational assessment process to identify the need for required life jacket wear at federal, state, and local levels.

Supervision and Lifeguards

This section of research gaps and questions intends to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of lifeguards and related technology, training and policy.

RA-LG SUP 1
Unassigned

Identify and analyze the range of visible behaviors of active drowning victims.

RA-LG SUP 2
Unassigned

Assess public awareness and communication tools that improve supervision of children and non-swimmers by evaluating awareness of supervision needs and the effectiveness of behavior-change strategies for parents and caregivers.

Assess public awareness and communication tools that drive behavior change regarding supervision of children and non-swimmers.

  • Assess public awareness of the need for constant, active, and vigilant supervision of young children and non-swimmers in commercial, private, and residential pool settings, and identify effective strategies to improve supervision by parents and caregivers in these settings.
  • Evaluate communication tools that drive behavior change in parents, guardians, and caregivers regarding supervision of children and non-swimmers in, on, and near water.
RA-LG SUP 3
Unassigned

Assess the effectiveness of supervision models by evaluating water watcher programs and analyzing peer supervision approaches for drowning prevention.

Assess the effectiveness of different supervision models and peer supervision programs.

  • Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of water watcher programs to determine their effectiveness, relevance, and limitations.
  • Analyze the use of the “buddy system” and similar peer supervision models to determine their efficacy in drowning prevention.
RA-LG SUP 4
Unassigned

Determine the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of pool and open water/surf lifeguards in preventing injuries, educating the public, performing rescues, and conducting resuscitations.

Determine the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of pool and open water/surf lifeguards in:

  • preventing injuries.
  • educating the public.
  • conducting rescues.
  • conducting resuscitations.
RA-LG SUP 5
Unassigned

Identify and evaluate strategies for scaling up and sustaining a professional lifeguard workforce.

RA-LG SUP 6
Unassigned

Evaluate current AI systems for real-time drowning detection, assessing accuracy, response times, and reliability compared to human lifeguards.

RA-LG SUP 7
Unassigned

Identify hazardous conditions and risky behaviors in aquatic settings and define “hazard” and “hazardous behavior” within lifeguard-supervised environments.

  • Identify hazardous conditions and risky behaviors that contribute to aquatic injury or death.
  • Define “hazard” and “hazardous behavior” in aquatic settings, specifically within the context of lifeguard-supervised environments.
RA-LG SUP 8
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of AI-driven emergency alert systems in supporting lifeguard response and first-responder coordination.

RA-LG SUP 9
Unassigned

Identify effective interventions to address lifeguard inattention and internal distractions during lifeguard surveillance.

RA-LG SUP 10
Unassigned

Evaluate the effectiveness of swim tests in minimizing rescue situations in guarded pools and natural/open water designated swim areas with a maximum depth of 4-5 feet versus those with limited access to water 4-5 feet deep and determine if swim tests lead to fewer rescues in either setting.

RA-LG SUP 11
Unassigned

Analyze AI models that predict high-risk drowning scenarios based on historical data, crowd density, and environmental factors.

RA-LG SUP 12
Unassigned

Assess technologies and engineering solutions that strengthen supervision models, and evaluate AI-powered cameras, motion tracking, and environmental sensors for enhanced lifeguard surveillance and hazard detection.

Assess technologies and engineering solutions that enhance supervision models based on risk level, environmental conditions, and user demographics.

  • Evaluate AI-powered camera systems, motion tracking, and environmental sensors for their role in enhancing lifeguard surveillance and hazard detection.
RA-LG SUP 13
Unassigned

Evaluate the impact of AI-based lifeguard training tools, including VR/AR simulations, machine learning-assisted scanning techniques, and personalized training programs.

RA-LG SUP 14
Unassigned

Evaluate and identify best practices in lifeguard scanning techniques among pool and open water/surf lifeguards, considering head movement, eye tracking, time intervals, user density, zone size, patron distribution, time on task, and fatigue impact.

RA-LG SUP 15
Unassigned

Identify the psychological practices, habits, and factors that result in optimal and suboptimal lifeguard scanning.

RA-LG SUP 16
Unassigned

Evaluate whether the experience level of lifeguards contributes to their scanning and detection competencies for drowning and distressed swimmers.

RA-LG SUP 17
Unassigned

Compare the efficacy, benefits, and risks of elevated versus roaming lifeguard stations to determine optimal pool environments and scenarios for each.

Compare the efficacy, benefits, and risks between elevated and roaming lifeguard stations at pools.

  • Determine what environments and scenarios are best suited for roaming and elevated lifeguard stations at pools.

Water Competency, Water Safety, and Swimming Lessons

This section of research gaps and questions intends to determine the efficacy and effectiveness of water safety education and learn to swim programs, and inform best practices across a diversity of groups and settings.

RA-WC 1
Unassigned

Identify the water competency components that reduce drowning risk by determining key survival skills, when they are acquired, how competency progresses and is defined, and the measures used to evaluate each area.

Identify what aspects and components of water competency reduce drowning risk, considering ages, development, and setting.

  • Determine what in-water skills reduce drowning to aid in defining “aquatic survival skills”.
  • Identify at what age, developmental stage, and experience survival skills can be acquired.
  • Determine the developmental progression of water competencies for skill acquisition, knowledge, and awareness.
  • Identify and develop metrics to measure water competencies (skills, knowledge, and awareness) across ages and developmental levels.
  • Define levels of water competency (e.g. basic, competent, mastery) and measures to know when one is achieved.
  • Identify and evaluate out-of-water components of water competency that reduce drowning risk.
RA-WC 2
Unassigned

Evaluate existing water competency curricula to establish best practices for culturally appropriate, inclusive, and accessible water competency training.

RA-WC 3
Unassigned

Identify high-risk groups for drowning including age-related risk across the lifespan, special populations, and specific settings.

RA-WC 4
Unassigned

Identify and evaluate existing state level policies and legislation addressing water competency and swimming skill acquisition (e.g. mandatory swim skills by high school graduation).

RA-WC 5
Unassigned

Evaluate water safety education strategies by identifying effective teaching strategies, assessing teen training, comparing family-based and individual learning, and determining accessible settings for water competency lessons.

Evaluate the effectiveness of current water safety education strategies.

  • Determine what are the most effective and efficient pedagogical strategies to help children acquire water competency knowledge and skills.
  • Evaluate in-water and out-of-water training programs focused on reaching teens and determine best practices for knowledge acquisition and retention.
  • Evaluate and compare skill and knowledge acquisition and retention, between water competency training that involves the family unit versus individuals.
  • Identify the best (most efficient and most accessible) settings for delivery of water competency lessons for both land-based and in-water education.
RA-WC 6
Unassigned

Examine the efficacy of learn to swim programs by assessing long-term impacts of teaching methods, identifying ages for lasting skill retention, and determining best practices for adapted programs.

Examine the efficacy of existing learn to swim programs.

  •  Evaluate the long-term positive and negative impacts of teaching methods for different age groups.
  • Determine if there is an age where skills are retained long term without need for “boosters”.
  • Identify best practices for adapted learn-to-swim programs to meet the needs of persons with disabilities.
RA-WC 7
Unassigned

Determine what surveillance data and research are needed to assess disability-related drowning risk (e.g. beyond epilepsy and autism).

RA-WC 8
Unassigned

Identify the individual, familial, and societal characteristics that increase or decrease drowning risk and water competency.

RA-WC 9
Unassigned

Evaluate the effect of drowning experiences on survivors, families, and communities to identify generational trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and ways of healing.

RA-WC 10
Unassigned

Evaluate knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors around water safety and water competency.

RA-WC 11
Unassigned

Evaluate and determine best practices for adapted aquatic instructor training.

RA-WC 12
Unassigned

Evaluate the individual skill components of water safety and water competency that are most important to capture as part of drowning surveillance.

RA-WC 13
Unassigned

Identify the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that increase the risk of drowning.

RA-WC 14
Unassigned

Evaluate a progression framework to see if it aids caregivers in understanding a child’s water competency.

RA-WC 15
Unassigned

Identify intervention strategies that increase participation and sustained engagement in water competency training by determining population-specific motivators, promoting water competency as a life skill, and assessing whether links to disaster preparedness and climate chanage boost involvement.

Identify the intervention strategies that are most effective at increasing participation and sustained engagement in water competency training.

  •  Determine what motivates participation in different populations (e.g. evaluate outreach by social media among parents and teens, messaging about health, jobs, and fun).
  • Identify effective strategies to promote water competency as a life skill (beyond a recreational activity).
  • Evaluate whether tying water competency training to disaster preparedness and climate change increases participation.