Anyone Can Drown. No One Should. World Drowning Prevention Day

Anyone can drown, but no one should. July 25 is World Drowning Prevention Day, set forth by the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO). Our association is joining in on raising drowning prevention awareness as a public health issue. Visit who.int/campaigns/world-drowning-prevention-day to learn more about this global campaign, six low-cost, evidence-based interventions, and what you can do in your household and local community.

In 2023, the 76th World Health Assembly adopted its first resolution on drowning prevention. The resolution accepts the UN General Assembly's invitation for WHO to coordinate actions within the UN system on drowning prevention and facilitate the observance of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25 each year. 

Drowning has caused over 2.5 million deaths in the last decade. Globally, the highest drowning rates occur among children aged 1–4 years, followed by children aged 5–9 years. These losses' human, social, and economic toll is intolerable and entirely preventable.

The WHO is also raising awareness on the six evidence-based, low-cost drowning prevention interventions that countries and organizations can use to reduce the risk of drowning drastically. These include: 

• Installing barriers to control access to water 
• Providing safe places away from water for pre-school children, with capable childcare 
• Teaching swimming, water safety, and safe rescue skills 
• Training bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation 
• Setting and enforcing safe boating, shipping, and ferry regulations
• Improving flood risk management 

On World Drowning Prevention Day, discover how we can help your family be safe around water year-round. The Y and Water Country USA have partnered to prevent drowning and raise water safety awareness by posting water safety tips around the parks' most popular attractions. View our water safety tip videos, and continue to promote awareness to prevent drowning🌊