Test. Mark. Protect: A Policy to Protect Non-Swimmers
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Test. Mark. Protect. Policy
We recommend the following policy for all children entering the water, including all children and adults that are part of an outside group (rentals, special events, birthday parties, etc.):
Test.
Swim test to determine swimming ability. Users who do not take the test, or children under 7 years old, may be automatically designated as non-swimmers.
Mark.
Clearly mark all users to identify swimming ability.
Protect.
Most aquatic incidents happen in shallow water (3′-5′). Protect non-swimmers, especially younger children, by restricting them to the shallow end and adding additional layers of protection:
- The non-swimmer is actively engaged in a swim lesson or activity with staff;
- The non-swimmer is actively supervised, within arms reach of an adult parent or caregiver; and/or
- The non-swimmer is wearing a properly fitted US Coast Guard approved Life Jacket.
In February 2021, we hosted our monthly aquatics Zoom call where we focused much of our time on Test. Mark. Protect. We encourage you to watch the recording to learn more about this policy and hear how other organizations are implementing it.
Drowning Infographic
We analyzed data from our aquatic investigations since 2003 to see where in the pool the majority of non-swimmer drowning incidents occur.
Download the infographic to see what the data shows and what you can do at your pool to prevent tragedies like these from happening.
Examples of Test. Mark. Protect. Implementation