Water Safety Strategy

Priority 1: public significance CA-WSS

Public Significance

California Water Safety Priority 1

Goal: To elevate drowning prevention and water safety as an issue of public significance.

Why is this a priority?

Water safety is a recognized issue of importance for young children, however, strategies to prevent drowning are required for all populations and environments.

This is especially important for communities with high drowning rates and those who have been historically excluded or had limited access to programming and services. The data on the burden of drowning in California shows just how broad the problem is, from disparities in drowning rates in different regions or among different populations, to the varying circumstances of drowning events across different bodies of water. Elevating drowning prevention as an issue of public importance to governments, businesses, community organizations, and the public at large is an important step in reducing drowning.

Multiple international health organizations and drowning prevention bodies across the world have recommended a public health approach to drowning prevention. A public health framing promotes focusing on people and communities where they live, learn, work and play, but does not mean drowning prevention is only a health issue. Rather, this approach calls us to examine the complexity of the problem from multiple perspectives. Involving a wide array of stakeholders allows us to address the issue from many vantage points in a coordinated way, and elevate the issue in the public’s eye.

Given this, the Key Data Activities within this priority area are focused on ensuring there is a knowledge base about what all stakeholders are currently working on and building on this base with the action areas outlined. Key action areas outline activities to incorporate water safety and drowning prevention into other stakeholders' strategic planning and key activity areas. This will require leadership and communication skills.

Knowledge Gaps

A baseline of knowledge about current activities within drowning prevention in California is essential to build from and expand. Key data activities within this priority are focused on understanding what is currently happening in local areas with regard to drowning prevention and water safety so as not to duplicate efforts and waste resources. While some of this work has occurred, (13) a robust and systematic landscape analysis focused on the points below is required to identify gaps, create solutions, and track progress.

Key Data Activities

Identify current state and local policies related to drowning.

Document and map all current drowning prevention stakeholders and their activities.

Identify stakeholders not yet involved, ensuring diversity among people and organizations.

Determine existing community education programs, identifying geographic and other access gaps.

Public Significance

California Water Safety Priority 1

Key Action Areas:

Community Programs and Education

Mass Media Campaigns

Research, create and deploy strategic, representative and inclusive mass media campaigns to elevate water safety and drowning prevention.

Local Collaboration

Establish and cultivate diverse local coalitions and collaborative groups composed of a variety of stakeholders to address drowning at the local and community level.

Professional Training and Capacity

Strategic Communications & Social Marketing Create, communicate, and deliver purposeful messages designed to educate specific audiences about water safety, promote safe behavior around the water, and influence safety related decision making. (19)

Cross-sector Cooperation

Partner with stakeholders from other fields to design and deliver programs and public communication: work with families affected by drowning to elevate the profile of water safety efforts.

Policy and Systems

Planning and Strategy Integration

Integrate drowning prevention and water safety in the planning processes of state and local agencies including public health, parks and recreation, emergency medical services, and fire and rescue.

Dedicated Personnel

Advocate for agencies, departments, and organizations to dedicate personnel to drowning prevention.

Focused Programming

Advocate for specific water safety programs in local and state governmental agencies, such as public health, parks and recreation, and emergency services.

Policy Agenda

Establish a policy agenda and advocacy plan for drowning prevention and water safety that is rooted in equity principles, based on evidence, and inclusive of collaborative input from multiple stakeholders.