May 9, 2024

Healthy and Safe Swimming Week Communications Toolkit

The information and materials below can help public health professionals promote healthy and safe swimming messages on social media, websites, and other communication channels during Healthy and Safe Swimming Week and throughout the year. These resources can be used to raise awareness about the steps everyone can take to protect themselves and others from illness and injury in and around the water.

Children in a pool holding on to the edge and kicking their legs behind them while all in a row smiling.

Reach out to partners

All audiences

Post web content related to drowning prevention on your organization's website.
Disseminate healthy and safe swimming messages and materials (for example, in email announcements).
Post messages on your organization's social media channels using the "Post on social media" content below.

Media

Provide a press release to media outlets using the content from "Share messages with media outlets" below.
Share information on steps swimmers and caregivers can take to prevent drowning, swimming-related illnesses, and pool chemical injuries.

Operators of treated aquatic venues (pools, hot tubs, and splash pads)

Check out CDC's Model Aquatic Health Code and explore how it can be used to prevent illness and injury in and around aquatic venues.
Explore forms, protocols, and other resources on our MAHC Tools and Training page.
Share CDC's latest guidance on the proper operation and management of pools, hot tubs, and splash pads.

Beach managers and operators of untreated aquatic venues

Recommend that beach managers:
- Check out EPA's online technical resources.
- Sign up for the Great Lakes Commission email group—known as Beachnet—to communicate and network with other beach managers across the country.
- Establish policies that allow employees to perform alternate duties that do not require entering the water if they have diarrhea or an open cut or wound that cannot be completely covered by a waterproof bandage.

Pool supply stores

Recommend that retailers share information on pool chemical safety online and in their stores.

Healthcare providers

Encourage providers to share healthy and safe swimming messages with their patients.
- Engage your local chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics or other organizations for healthcare professionals.

Community leaders

Create fact sheets for community leaders (such as program administrators, boards of health, and elected officials) detailing specifics about your agency's Healthy and Safe Swimming Week efforts.

Post on social media

Use these suggested posts to spread the word about healthy and safe swimming on your social media platforms.

Drowning prevention

Watch kids closely when they are in or around water. Drowning happens quickly and quietly, so avoid distracting activities like being on a phone.
More children ages 1–4 years die from drowning than any other cause. Learn what you can do to help protect children from drowning.
Help prevent children from getting in your backyard pool unsupervised. Install four-sided fencing which fully encloses the pool and separates it from the house, with self-closing and self-latching gates.
Help keep swimmers safe. Know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform CPR.
Teach children basic swimming and water safety skills. Swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning. Children who have had swimming lessons still need close and constant supervision when in or around water.

Other swimming-related illnesses

Follow CDC's steps for healthy swimming to protect yourself and those you care about from illness at the pool and beach this summer. #healthyswimming
Pee in the toilet, not in the pool! When pee and chlorine mix in the pool, there is less chlorine available to kill germs. #healthyswimming
#DYK that chlorine doesn't kill germs in pools right away? While it kills most germs within minutes, some germs can live in a properly chlorinated pool for days! Protect yourself. Don't swallow water you swim or play in. #healthyswimming
Sweat and dirt on your body can use up chlorine needed to kill germs in the pool. Showering before you get in the pool keeps chlorine levels up to help keep you and those you care about healthy! #healthyswimming
Going for a swim with kids? Take a break every hour to use the bathroom or check diapers. Change diapers away from the water to help keep germs from getting in. #healthyswimming
Don't swallow splash pad water. Did you know that it can take chlorine minutes—and sometimes even days—to kill germs in splash pad water? Swallowing water with germs can cause diarrhea or vomiting. #healthyswimming

Diarrhea and swimming

Diarrhea and swimming don't mix! Follow CDC's steps for healthy swimming to help protect yourself and those you care about from illness at the pool. #healthyswimming
Did you know swallowing even a small amount of water contaminated with diarrhea germs can make you sick for up to 3 weeks? Don't swallow water at the pool or splash pad! #healthyswimming
Don't swim or let your kids swim if they are sick with diarrhea. One person with diarrhea can contaminate the entire pool and make others sick for up to 3 weeks. #healthyswimming
Stay out of splash pads if you are sick with diarrhea. Jets can rinse germs found in poop off butts and swallowing the water with those germs can make you sick. Chlorine doesn't kill germs instantly. #healthyswimming

Pool chemical safety

Using your backyard pool? Pool chemicals protect us from germs but can cause injuries if not handled safely. Check out CDC's website for pool chemical safety tips.
Using your backyard pool this summer? Help protect kids and pets by keeping pool chemicals out of reach.
Backyard pool owners: Make sure you know how to safely use pool chemicals to help keep everyone safe and healthy this summer.
Backyard pool owners: Learn how to safely use pool chemicals and help protect yourself, kids, and pets from injury.

Graphics

A GIF showing a woman holding her son in the pool while he kicks with wording saying that basic swim and water safety lessons can prevent drowning — Swim lessons can prevent drowning and save lives.

A GIF of children playing with a ball next to a pool with the words "drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 years. Learn how to prevent drowning." — Drowning is the leading cause of death for young children.

Children playing at a splash pad with information about what to do and not to do to stay safe from germs appearing on the screen. — There are steps you can take to protect yourself and others from germs at splash pads.

Kids enjoying themselves in the pool until a child pees. — Peeing in the pool can create chemicals that irritate everyone's eyes.

A graphic with a person swimming in the toilet next to a graphic of a child having diarrhea in the water — Don't swim or play in the water if you are sick with diarrhea.

Graphic showing a parents holding a baby girl. The parents look surprised as poop comes out of her diaper. — There are simple steps caregivers can take to keep kids healthy when they swim.

Share messages with media outlets

In preparation for Healthy and Safe Swimming Week, local, state, territorial, and tribal communities can use and customize this content to highlight drowning prevention messages that best meet their community’s priorities and needs.

Drowning

In the United States:

More children ages 1–4 years die from drowning than any other cause.
For children ages 5–14 years, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.
While children are at highest risk, anyone can drown.

What you can do

Stay safe in and around the water:

Make sure everyone has basic swimming and water safety skills.
Use U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jackets as directed.
Designate a responsible adult to closely and constantly supervise children in or near the water.
Know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform CPR.

Help keep backyard pools safe:

Prevent access to water when pool is not in use.
Install and maintain barriers that fully enclose the pool and separate it from the house, like four-sided fencing.
Use locks and alarms for windows and doors.
Remove all toys from the pool area that might attract children to the pool when not in use.