United States Lifesaving Association

DROWNING PREVENTION VIA PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PROMOTION OF LIFESAVING PROFESSIONALISM

LIFE SAVING EVENTS: THE UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION CONDUCTS A NATIONAL LIFESAVING COMPETITION ANNUALLY. THE 2021 COMPETITION WAS HELD IN SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS. COMPETITION ENCOURAGES LIFEGUARDS TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVELS OF FITNESS NEEDED IN THEIR LIFESAVING WORK, TO DEMONSTRATE THE SKILLS NEEDED IN LIFESAVING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, TO ENCOURAGE EXCHANGES OF INFORMATION AMONG LIFEGUARD AGENCIES, AND TO RAISE FUNDS NEEDED TO FUND USLA PROGRAMS. FOR A JOB WHERE SECONDS COUNT, LIFESAVING COMPETITION RAISES SKILLS. THE COMPETITION ALSO INSTILLS PRIDE IN THE LIFEGUARDS, PROMOTES THEIR PROFESSION THROUGH ACTIONS WHICH SERVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT LIFEGUARDS EVERYWHERE ARE DESERVING OF THE TRUST PLACED IN THEM BY THE PUBLIC THEY PROTECT.

PUBLIC EDUCATION: THE USLA CREATES AND SUPPORTS PROGRAMS AIMED AT WATER SAFETY AND DROWNING PREVENTION. DROWNING IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF UNINTENTIONAL INJURY-RELATED DEATH IN CHILDREN ACCORDING TO THE CDC. WITH THIS IN MIND, USLA CREATES AND COLLABORATES ON CREATION, OF A RANGE OF RESOURCES TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO BE SAFE IN AND AROUND WATER. THIS INCLUDES TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES RELATING ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE A RIP CURRENT AND THE DANGERS OF RIP CURRENTS, AND TO ALWAYS SWIM NEAR A LIFEGUARD. RESOURCES INCLUDE: VIDEOS, FACT SHEETS, COLORING BOOKS, BOOKMARKS, POSTERS AND TEACHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. EACH YEAR AS SUMMER BEGINS, THE UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION SPONSORS NATIONAL BEACH SAFETY WEEK IN AN EFFORT TO REMIND BEACHGOERS TO USE CAUTION IN THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT. COINCIDING WITH NATIONAL BEACH SAFETY WEEK IS RIP CURRENT AWARENESS WEEK. RIP CURRENTS ACCOUNT FOR OVER 80% OF RESCUES PREFORMED BY SURF BEACH LIFEGUARDS. THESE EVENTS ARE HELD TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT BEACH SAFETY AND RIP CURRENTS AND HOW TO BREAK THE GRIP OF THE RIP. AS IT STATES IN OUR MISSION, WE ARE WORKING TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF DEATH AND INJURY IN THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION.

LIFEGUARD AGENCY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: THE USLA LIFEGUARD AGENCY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED TO ENCOURAGE OPEN WATER LIFEGUARD AGENCIES NATIONWIDE TO MEET MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR TRAINING, EQUIPPING, AND CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE LIFEGUARD PROGRAMS. AGENCIES APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION (ACCREDITATION) AND ARE CERTIFIED IF THEY ARE FOUND IN COMPLIANCE. OVER 180 AGENCY TRAINING PROGRAMS, INCLUDES STATES, COUNTIES AND CITIES, AS WELL AS PRIVATE PROVIDERS ARE CERTIFIED BY THE USLA. TO QUALIFY UNDER THE USLA PROGRAM, A BEACH LIFEGUARD PROVIDER/AGENCY MUST COMPLY AND MEET ALL THE REQUIRED ELEMENTS AS LISTED IN THE USLA GUIDELINES. THE PROGRAMS INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE USLA MANUAL OF OPEN WATER LIFESAVING, FOUR TRAINING VIDEOS; WATER OBSERVATION, COMPONENTS OF A RESCUE, BEACH VEHICLE OPERATIONS, CODE X SEARCH AND RECOVERY. USLA EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ARE USED BY LIFEGUARD AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

COLLABORATED WITH THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) AND SEA GRANT TO PROMOTE RIP CURRENT AWARENESS THROUGH OUT THE USA BY TEACHING THE PUBLIC HOW TO IDENTIFY AND SURVIVE RIP CURRENTS.WORKING ON AN ONGOING BASIS WITH NWS TO FACILITATE THE PROVISION DAILY FEEDBACK FROM BEACH LIFEGUARD AGENCIES TO ASSIST THEM IN THEIR MARINE FORECASTS, AND UPDATES TO IMPROVE COASTAL SAFETY FORECASTING. SUPPORT THE INTERNATIONAL LIFE SAVING FEDERATION, AMERICAS REGION, IN EFFORTS TO PROVIDE DROWNING PREVENTION AND LIFESAVING SERVICES IN THE CARIBBEAN, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND SOUTH AMERICA. COLLECTED AND PUBLISHED NATIONAL STATISTICS ON BEACH LIFEGUARD RESCUES, DROWNING, MEDICAL AIDS, ATTENDANCE, AND OTHER KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES.THIS DATA IS USED BY THE MEDIA, RESEARCHERS, AND DECISION-MAKERS. OVER 80,000 RESCUES FROM DROWNING WERE REPORTED TO THE USLA NATIONAL LIFESAVING STATISTICS IN 2021 FROM OVER 125 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BEACH LIFEGUARD AGENCIES. USLA CHAPTERS AND AFFILIATED AGENCIES REPORTED PROVIDING OVER 50,000 PUBLIC SAFETY LECTURES TO OVER 706,000 STUDENTS.SUPPORTED UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMISSIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LIFE SAVING FEDERATION, WHICH SEEKS TO REDUCE DROWNING WORLDWIDE.CONDUCTED NATIONAL BEACH SAFETY WEEK.SUPPORTED JUNIOR LIFEGUARD PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES WITH MODEL GUIDELINES AND RECOGNITION OF PERFORMANCE. PARTICIPATED AS A MEMBER OF WATER SAFETY USA, A NATIONAL MULTI- AGENCYEFFORT IN THE UNITED SATES DEDICATED TO ADDRESSING WATER SAFETY ANDDROWNING PREVENTION.COLLABORATED WITH WATER SAFETY USA TO ENHANCE THE MESSAGING ON WATERSAFETY AND DROWNING PREVENTION IN THE UNITED STATES.ISSUED AWARDS FOR HEROISM TO SEVERAL CITIZENS AND LIFEGUARDS, AS WELL AS AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE TO SEVERAL LIFEGUARD OPERATIONS. CONTINUED TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE ABOUT RIP CURRENTS AND RIP CURRENT SURVIVAL, SPINAL INJURY PREVENTION, LIFEJACKET USE AND OTHER BEACH AND SWIMMING SAFETY MESSAGES.MAINTAINED A JOINT WEBSITE WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AND YMCA OF THE USA TO OFFER STANDARDS FOR LIFEGUARD TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT. PROVIDED BEACH SAFETY AND DROWNING PREVENTION EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ANDRESOURCES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH INCLUDING COLORING BOOKS