Drowning rarely looks the way people expect. It can be quiet and easy to miss, especially when a person is exhausted or unable to call for help. A person in serious trouble may not be waving or shouting. They may be silent, vertical in the water, struggling to keep their mouth above the surface.
According to the WHO, there are around 300,000 drowning deaths globally each year, and is a leading cause of preventable death for young children and school-aged children. That is one of the reasons World Drowning Prevention Day exists.
Observed every year on July 25, World Drowning Prevention Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in April 2021 through its global drowning prevention resolution. The day is now used to raise awareness of drowning as a preventable cause of death and to promote practical measures that can save lives.
The World Health Organization uses this day to encourage action from governments, health bodies and individuals. The message is simple: drowning prevention is not only about swimming ability. It is also about supervision, recognizing danger and knowing what to do in the first few minutes after someone is pulled from the water.
The day also encourages people to think about safer rescue. When someone is in trouble in the water the instinct may be to jump in immediately, but an unsafe rescue can put the rescuer in danger as well. Where possible, a bystander should try to help from a safe position by reaching with an object, throwing a flotation device or guiding the person toward safety without entering dangerous water.
The first response should be to call for help, alert lifeguards or contact emergency services.
Once the person is out of the water the basic first aid sequence is first check whether they are responsive, check whether they are breathing normally, start CPR if needed, and use an AED if one is available.
If the person is breathing but unconscious, they should be placed in the recovery position and monitored closely until help arrives. If there is visible material in the mouth, it should only be removed if it can be done safely and without pushing it further into the airway.
If the person is not breathing normally, CPR should begin as soon as possible. In suspected drowning, oxygen deprivation is usually the main problem which means rescue breaths are especially important. Royal Life Saving advises that trained rescuers should provide two initial rescue breaths before moving into cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 breaths. If an automated external defibrillator or AED is available, it should be used as soon as possible and the person should be dried before the AED pads are applied.
Refreshing CPR and first aid training before summer can help turn water safety from a general message into practical confidence. In the first few minutes of a drowning emergency knowing what to do can make a real difference.
World Drowning Prevention Day is more than a date on the calendar. It is a reminder that water safety starts before anyone enters the water, but it also depends on people being able, respond and provide first aid when every minute matters.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. AFP editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
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