Be a Water Watcher
It only takes a second. Drowning doesn’t happen in the way Hollywood portrays it. It’s quick, silent and can often go unnoticed if a parent or guardian is distracted. Vigilance is paramount when children are in or near the water, which is why it is so important to designate an adult Water Watcher.
A Water Watcher is:
- Assigned to watch children in the water, never leaving them unattended
- Regularly scans the bottom of the pool
- Avoids talking on the phone or engaging in distracting, poolside conversations
- Will call 911 and administer CPR in the event of an emergency
- Can locate and know how to use all pool safety equipment onsite
If a group of adults is present, they can take turns being Water Watchers, rotating shifts every 15 minutes. This allows everyone to have an enjoyable time at the gathering, while ensuring that children are safer in and around the water. Unfortunately, too many drownings occur at pool parties with many adults present – everyone thinks someone else is watching, when, in reality, no one is watching.
Designating a Water Watcher is an important step. We offer a free Water Watcher Lanyard so it’s easy to know who is the supervising adult designated as the Watcher. Wearing the lanyard helps everyone know that you are the on-duty Water Watcher. Email us at gethealthy@snhd.org to learn more about how to obtain a water watcher lanyard. For more tips on being a Water Watcher, check out some of these great resources on our Get Healthy website.
