East Brunswick Begins Initiative On Water Safety, Swim Awareness

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ – East Brunswick Recreation & Parks is a few weeks away from opening Crystal Springs Family Waterpark.

And since May also happened to be National Water Safety Month, the Recreation Department will be educating the public on the importance of water safety and swim awareness.

The Department has joined the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) for this initiative. Called the 5 Layers of Protection, the education will provide additional water safety resources to the public.

“Water Safety should be a topic on everyone’s mind whenever we are around water, but especially as we gear up for Summer 2024, when we see increased uses of recreational water,” John Roche, Aquatics Director for East Brunswick Recreation & Parks, said in a statement.

“Knowledge is power. And when it comes to being around water, we, our families, friends, and community members need to know what the risks are and how to act safely.”

According to the NDPA), 11 school buses worth of children are lost every year to unintentional drownings per year, that’s an average of 854 children every year.

“Water safety and childhood drowning prevention are year-round priorities that require year-round attention,” said Adam Katchmarchi, Ph.D., Executive Director, NDPA.

The Recreation Department aims to help prevent drowning and aquatic-related injuries year-round in the community by implementing NDPA’s 5 Layers of Protection.

The department has created a Water Safety Page on the East Brunswick Township Website.

By visiting the page, community members can find information on all things water safety including online water safety courses, printable checklists, educational videos, and children’s activities to help make water safety a conversation in every home in East Brunswick.

To further bolster the Recreation Department's initiative, Mayor Brad J. Cohen, along with Council members, have issued a proclamation declaring May as National Water Safety Month, encouraging all residents to support and promote the observance.

Learn the 5 Layers of Protection:

1. Barriers & Alarms: It's important to use four-sided fencing with self-closing, self-latching gates, pool safety covers, and alarm systems to help prevent children and unauthorized adults from accessing water unsupervised.
2. Supervision: Stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings with close, constant, and capable adult supervision from a designated water watcher anytime children are in or around water (even if a lifeguard is on duty). Lifeguards are not a substitute for proactive adult supervision.
3. Water Competency: Every child and adult should be equipped with the skills to protect themselves in water by learning and enhancing their basic water safety skills to reduce the risk of drowning and aquatic-related injuries.
4. Life Jackets: When used appropriately, life jackets protect you when you are not expecting to be in the water, especially around open water. Ensure your life jackets are tested and approved by the United States Coast Guard (USCG).
5. Emergency Preparation: Knowing how to prepare for an emergency with CPR training (that includes rescue breaths – which is vital to stop the drowning process), and basic water rescue skills can make the difference between life and death. Have a phone available and ready to call 911.

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