The COVID-19 pandemic halted programs to train and recertify lifeguards for two straight years, resulting in a loss of about one million lifeguards who would otherwise be working this summer, says Bernard J. Fisher II, the director of health and safety for the American Lifeguard Association in Vienna, Virginia. This shortage, combined with a pandemic pause in temporary work visas for foreign lifeguards, has forced countless pools and beaches to open with fewer lifeguards, reduce their hours, or close altogether this summer, he says. “More people than ever are coming to our pools and beaches, and on top of this there are fewer people who know how to swim because we lost two years of swimming lessons,” Fisher says. “This year, we’re also canceling classes because the instructors are lifeguards, and we have to choose between keeping pools open or teaching kids to swim.” Before the pandemic, about 4,000 people died by drowning in the United States each year, and another 8,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for drowning injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children — particularly kids younger than 5 — consistently have the highest drowning rate. In 2021, there was a 17 percent spike in the number of children treated in U.S. hospitals for drowning-related injuries sustained in pools and spas, according to a report posted in June 2022 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Several cities and states have also reported a surge in drownings during the pandemic. “The number one way to stop people from drowning is to swim with supervision — with a lifeguard and never alone — and to learn to swim at an early age,” Fisher says. The good news is there’s a lot you can do to help prevent drownings even when there’s no lifeguard on duty. Here are some tips.
1. Before Heading to the Beach or a Public Pool, Do Your Research
Many public pools and beaches will share lifeguard hours online and note if there isn’t one on duty. Check your destination’s details before heading out for a swim, and choose a site that’s guarded whenever possible, Fisher says. If you do go to a spot without a lifeguard, it’s better to choose a pool or beach familiar to you, where you think even the weakest swimmers in your group can wade into the water safely. “Know the particulars of each type of aquatic area you want to use,” says William Ramos, PhD, a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council and the director of the Aquatics Institute at Indiana University in Bloomington. “For example, with open water spaces someone should understand that impact of waves, currents, sandbars, and rip currents can have on safety,” Dr. Ramos adds.
2. If There’s No Lifeguard on Duty, Pick the Pool Over the Ocean or Open Water
Compared with the seaside or a lake, it’s easier to spot a swimmer in distress at a pool, Fisher says. And there will often be markers to indicate how deep the water is, so less-confident swimmers can stay where it’s shallow. “This isn’t foolproof, but it removes a lot of unknowns that contribute to drownings, like the waves and currents and sudden dropoffs into deeper water that you can experience at the beach,” Fisher says.
3. Be Prepared for an Emergency Before You Hit the Water
Look around to see what lifesaving equipment is available to use, such as a ring buoy or reaching pole, Ramos recommends. Know who in your group can do CPR, and who has a phone to call for help. The Red Cross has a Chain of Drowning Survival with step-by-step instructions for identifying and responding to a swimmer in distress — review this before you go to the pool or the beach.
4. Pack Life Jackets in Your Beach or Pool Bag
If you’re a nonswimmer or a weak swimmer, wear a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard to enter the water, no matter how calm or shallow conditions may appear, experts say. “Relying on any kind of non–U.S. Coast Guard approved flotation device can lead to a false sense of security, and these items can fail or float away, leaving the person in trouble,” Ramos says.
5. Don’t Count on Water Wings to Keep Kids Safe
Parents need to know that lots of products pitched as aids for kids in the water really won’t help, says Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, the president of the Child Injury Prevention Alliance and the director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. “Water wings and pool noodles are toys — not drowning prevention devices,” Smith says. Especially in the ocean, the wind and current can carry kids offshore or lure kids into deeper water to chase a toy that got away from them. “Floatable toys should be used by those who are capable to be in areas of the water safely without them,” Ramos adds.
6. Follow Any Posted Water Safety Rules
Signs at most public pools and beaches will point you to designated swimming areas and warn you about specific dangers, whether it’s a pool too shallow for diving or an ocean beach with strong currents or riptides, says Ramos. These posted rules are meant to be followed even when there’s no lifeguard on duty; they’re in place to prevent injuries. And don’t enter the water during hours when pools or beaches are closed or after dark, Smith adds.
7. Don’t Dive — It’s Not Worth the Risk of Serious Injury
Even if this rule isn’t clearly posted on any signs, don’t enter the water headfirst even if you think you know the area, Ramos says. The risk of head, neck, and spinal cord injuries is just too great, and it’s always safer to jump in feet first or just walk into the water if that’s an option. “In the case of open water spaces, with currents and tides, the bottom will not be the same as the last time you used it,” Ramos says.
8. Appoint a Water Watcher
This is a good idea all the time, but especially when there’s no lifeguard working. Appoint an adult to stay out of the water on the beach or the pool deck, keeping a close eye on everyone who is swimming at all times. “This means no talking on the phone, no socializing, no drinking — just watching the swimmers as a responsible adult,” Fisher says. Water watchers can take turns, but when they’re on duty this is supposed to be their only focus. “Although it may seem extreme for adults, the water watcher concept is still the best plan,” Ramos adds.
9. Use the Buddy System to Stay Safe in the Water
Adults and teens: Swim in groups or pairs so no one is ever in the water alone, Smith advises. For young children — especially kids who aren’t strong swimmers — their buddy should be an adult who is never more than an arm’s length away, Fisher says.
10. Know Your — and Your Kids’ — Limits, and Don’t Overdo It
Don’t push yourself to the max to do more laps faster than you ever have before, or urge your child to master new skills like swimming the entire length of the pool on their own. And don’t push your limits just to show off or keep up with your friends and family. “Be honest with yourself about your swimming ability and don’t feel pressure to hide it from others if it’s not up to the level of others you’re swimming with,” Ramos says. “Overextending yourself to keep up with others can lead to trouble.” Parents also need to refrain from pushing kids to swim. “If they aren’t comfortable getting in the water, don’t force them,” Smith says. “If they start to look tired or tell you they need a break, have them get out of the water and rest.”
