May is National Water Safety Month. When we first heard about this month, we thought it was dedicated to drinking water. However, upon further examination, we found out that this month is not dedicated to the quality of the water in our glasses but instead to water safety.

That makes a lot of sense considering that May is the month when people begin to head out to rivers, lakes, and the ocean to enjoy boating and other aquatic activities. The increased use of waterways by the public also means that water accidents increase. It’s for this reason that people should celebrate this month and think more about water safety throughout the year.

The History of National Water Safety Month

This month was created a few years ago by the World Waterpark Association, the American Red Cross, and the National Recreation & Park Association. They created National Water Safety Month to raise the public’s awareness about the dangers of water and what they can do to keep themselves safe.

Water Safety Facts

We’ve uncovered a whole lot of water safety facts that we feel everyone should know. So we gathered these facts and listed them below for everyone to consider. Let’s take a quick look at them before talking about how National Water Safety Month should be observed.

• In the United States, there are approximately 4,000 drownings a year. That’s almost 11 drownings per day.
• Drowning is consistently one of the leading causes of unintentional injury-related death for children between the ages of 1 and 4.
• Drowning is also among the top 5 leading causes of unintentional injury-related death for people from birth to 55 years old.
• Almost 1 in 4 child drownings occur during a family gathering near a pool.
• A person who learns how to swim can reduce their drowning risk by almost 90%.
• Drowning can happen in under 60 seconds.
• Pool drains are especially dangerous and should always be avoided.
• Wearing a life vest can significantly reduce a person’s drowning risk.

Observing National Water Safety Month

During this month, everyone should take the time to learn some basic water safety facts and to use common sense while swimming or boating. It’s also a good idea to know how to swim and how to perform CPR. We also encourage people to use the hashtag #NationalWaterSafetyMonth on social media to spread the word about it.