The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan (USNWSAP) will be a strategic, evidence-informed plan, created by experts in drowning prevention and informed by water safety stakeholders and practitioners from across the country, aimed at preventing drowning in the USA. Considering that most prevention needs to happen at the subnational level, the USNWSAP will be a model- based plan, focusing on providing guidance on what a model water safety community, county, and state should look like, as well as identifying national level activities that guide and support subnational efforts. The Life Jacket Working Group has identified 23 recommendations to be included in the USNWSAP.
Speaker: Christopher Stec
2024: The FAR, Federal Acquisition Regulations, Part 30
LJA and the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan
1. Click icon to add picture
Development of the First
U.S National Water Safety
Action Plan
Including the Efforts of the Life
Jackets, PFDs and Other
Flotation
Working Group
Prev Ligh
3. How will a National Water Safety Action
Plan help prevent drowning?
• The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a
national plan – Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada
and other countries already have plans
• Raises awareness of safety around water
• Builds consensus and partnerships around solutions
• Provides strategic direction and a framework
• Sets priorities, coordinates action
• Monitors progress, encourages better data and reporting
4. Framework
• Initiated by Water Safety USA, made up of national organizations
including US Coast Guard and National Safe Boating Council
• Led by a volunteer Steering Committee
• Will result in National, State, County, City/Community water safety
actions based on models and minimum standards.
• Monitoring of progress through a report card every 5 years
5. Scope
• 10-year plan
• Focus on 5 evidence-based strategies and data/surveillance plus
necessary infrastructure and capacity to support implementation
6. Volunteer Multi-sectoral Working Groups
• Supervision/Lifeguards
• Water Safety/Water
Competence/
Swimming lessons
• Life Jackets/ PFDs
and Other Flotation
• Rescue/CPR
• Barriers, Entrapment,
Electrocution
• Data/Public Health
Surveillance
Working groups using same process to identify gaps, strengths,
evidence based approaches, promising practices, stakeholder
feedback and recommendations
7. Recommendations & Models
Working groups and the Steering Committee based on research and feedback:
• Recommendations for action at community, county, state levels
• Models of criteria to be a water safety community, county, and state
• Glossary of terms
• Recommendations for national level action to support local strategies
• Timeline: Summer 2021-Winter 2022
Stakeholder Feedback (Organizations and Individuals)
• Can sign up on the Action Plan website and participate in Delphi Survey
• Timeline: Summer 2022
Blue Ribbon panel:
• Will review, using consensus to approve recommendations and models
• Timeline: Summer/Fall 2022
8. Launch and Implementation
• Format is still in development
• Final plan is expected to promote achievable goals whose effectiveness is
supported by evidence
• Tentative Timeline: Fall 2022/Winter 2023
• Multiple organizations are key to implementation including National Safe Boating
Council, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, Life Jacket
Association, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, other boating safety
agencies, marine patrol, YMCA, American Red Cross, swim instructors, public
health, hospitals, pool and spa manufacturers, retailers, insurance companies and
others
9. Click icon to add picture Life Jackets / PFDs /
Other Flotation Devices
Working Group
(one of six working groups)
10. Scope
Four Water Environments:
- Boating and Floating - Controlled Water-designated swim areas in lakes, rivers
- Controlled Water-Pools - Uncontrolled Open Water
Five Focus Areas that all tie together:
- Required Wear and Enforcement
- Technology, Design and Engineering
- Education and Training
- Communications and Media
- Access
11. 23 Recommendations:
• 12 Action, 4 Gap, 7 Action/Gap
Five Focus Areas that all tie together:
• - Required Wear and Enforcement
• - Technology, Design and Engineering
• - Education and Training
• - Communications and Media
• - Access
12. Recommendations – Education & Training
• Action Recommendation #1
Develop, implement and/or evaluate an accredited national
education standard for life jacket fit, type, when to wear and
demonstration to include practice fitting and use for both
boating and non-boating water recreation.
13. Recommendations – Education & Training
• Action Recommendation #2
Develop, implement and evaluate a standard instructional
curriculum for K-12 education that meets the accredited
national life jacket educational standard.
14. Recommendations – Communications &
Media
• Action/Gap Recommendation #2
Build national consensus for the creation of consistent
recommendations and terminology for life jackets, personal
flotation devices (PFDs), rescue and other flotation devices to
use while boating, swimming, or participating in other water-
related activities.
15. Recommendations – Access
• Action/Gap Recommendation #1
Increase access to and evaluate the impact of rescue flotation,
lifesaving equipment and education at life jacket loaner stations,
water hazards other public water access points for boating,
swimming and other types of water recreation.
16. Recommendations – Access
• Gap Recommendation #1
Identify effective ways to increase access among high risk, low
resourced groups that are currently or have been historically
excluded.
17. Recommendations – Required Wear &
Enforcement
• Action Recommendation #1
Remove the federal exemption from preemption on the current
age for USCG approved life jacket wear to require all states to
adopt the minimum requirement based on USCG requirements
(currently 12 year of age and under on vessels under 26 ft. in
length).
18. Recommendations – Required Wear &
Enforcement
• Action Recommendation #3
Amend human propelled vessel regulations at the Federal and
State level to require that all passengers wear a properly fitted,
USCG approved, life jacket while on or in any human propelled
vessel regardless of length.
19. Recommendations – Required Wear &
Enforcement
• Action Recommendation #4
Amend recreational small vessel regulations at the Federal and
State level to require that all occupants in, on, or participating in
a watersport behind any vessel less than 26 feet in length to
wear a properly fitted, USCG approved life jacket when not
below deck or in enclosed compartments and only while the
vessel is underway.
20. Recommendations – Required Wear &
Enforcement
• Action/Gap Recommendation #2
Federal, state and local authorities research and develop
requirements for life jacket use on open water (such as lakes,
rivers and beaches) for non-boating related activities (e.g.
wading and swimming).
21. Recommendations – Technology, Design &
Engineering
• Action Recommendation #1
Develop and bring to market new life jackets that meet safety
requirements and are more comfortable, affordable and
appealing in order to increase use among a wider audience.
22. Recommendations – Technology, Design &
Engineering
• Action Recommendation #2
Standardize the carbon dioxide (CO2) cartridge type and
rearming process for inflatable flotation devices to reduce
consumer confusion and reduce the chance for device failure.
23. Recommendations – Technology, Design &
Engineering
• Action/Gap Recommendation #1
Identify and address barriers that are preventing manufacturers
and entrepreneurs from the rapid development of new designs
and bringing new flotation devices to market.
24. Recommendations – Technology, Design &
Engineering
• Gap Recommendation #1
Research optimal life jacket use and design for nonboating
activities like swimming.
25. Recommendations – Technology, Design &
Engineering
• Gap Recommendation #2
Investigate both intended and unintended consequences of
young children’s use of flotation devices in pools and natural
bodies of water.
26. Click icon to add picture
Sign up for the newsletter to stay informed:
www.watersafetyusa.org/nwsap
Send questions and suggestions:
USNWSAP.lifejacket@gmail.com
Notes de l'éditeur
Provide guidance in terms of standards, guidelines, model policies
But what sort of framework will work in the U.S.
Given the size of the U.S. and the multiple jurisdictions involved in water safety across the country, the 1000s of stakeholders, one size will not fit all. But we know enough about what works that there is an opportunity to provide guidance, encourage standardization, develop minimum requirements, etc.
But we also wanted a way to engage and challenge those jurisdictions to get involved, to respond to the issue.
Each of the working groups were expected to follow the same basic 5-phase process and use standardized tools and provide regular reports:
Working Group Stages
Establish working group membership in conjunction with Steering Committee
Establish scope for focus area and need for sub-working groups
Conduct an environmental scan and gaps analysis
Describe model water safety state, county and community related to focus area (goals, objectives, actions)
Identify where national consensus is likely to increase impact and propose mechanisms (e.g., minimum standards or practice guidelines)
If a working group is divided on the balance of pros and cons on an important issue, then evidence supporting both majority and dissenting opinions should be documented and submitted.
Disparities will be reconciled at a higher level.
While developing recommendations, your group should also begin to draft models for the criteria to be met to be considered a water safety community, county, and state.
Think of the draft models as a checklist a community, county or state can use to assess their water safety status; make informed decisions to enhance water safety; and evaluate their progress. Models should be concise, realistic, achievable, and evidence based.
- Communications planning underway
- Looking forward to implementation process and how increase likelihood of uptake and implementation
Tizzy
Welcome
My role and background
Part of developing a 10 year action
NOTE: IF time is tight, you can just use this slide and skip the next 5 slides.
Our Scope address 4 water environments and five focus areas
Communications/Media
Address misperceptions
Boaters, floaters, swimmers, waders
Key influencers , role modeling
Education /Training
Enhance knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and skills
Individuals, organizations, instructors
Address boaters and non-boaters
Part of water competency/learn to swim
School based requirements
Access
Loaner programs
Increase low cost/free options
Culturally tailored
Mandatory Wear/Enforcement
Boaters, floaters, swimmers , waders
Evaluate existing and promising practices
Consider age, boat type, size of boat, time of year, water type, water used by swimmers
Use data to guide strategies
Technology/Design /Engineering
Increased use through design and engineering
Boater, floater, swimmer, wader, rescue options