Schools, Camps and Communities: Your Questions

Schools can teach water safety in the classroom, with no pool needed. The American Red Cross offers Longfellow's WHALE Tales (opens in a new tab), free water safety lessons for kindergarten through grade 5 with lesson plans, videos and activity sheets, now also in Spanish. Our free lesson plans run from kindergarten to high school, such as and . In New York City, some second graders get swim lessons during the school day through programs such as Swim for Life (opens in a new tab). See free water safety lesson plans.

Sources: redcross.org (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab), nycgovparks.org (opens in a new tab)

Yes. We publish ten free lesson plans: four for kindergarten through grade 12, plus parent, community, faith-community, camp counselor, babysitter and adult learn-to-swim sessions. Start with or . The American Red Cross offers nine free WHALE Tales (opens in a new tab) lessons for grades K-5 that can be taught on dry land. Every lesson should match current guidance, such as reach or throw, don't go (opens in a new tab). See our lesson plan guide.

Sources: redcross.org (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab)

Ask who watches, how skills are checked and what happens in an emergency. Are certified lifeguards on duty with current CPR and first aid, as the AAP (opens in a new tab) recommends for swim programs? Do counselors watch too? How do they check each child's swimming, for example with the five water competency skills (opens in a new tab)? Is there a buddy system? Do weaker swimmers and anyone on lakes or boats wear life jackets, as the CDC (opens in a new tab) advises? See summer camp water safety.

Sources: healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab), cdc.gov (opens in a new tab)

Start with a ready-made plan, a room and one practical skill. Our free 75-minute plan, , includes a timed agenda, hands-on activities and a materials list. You can prepare by taking the free online Red Cross Water Safety Ambassador course (opens in a new tab), which trains people to teach kids and adults about water safety. In New York City, the FDNY Free CPR Program (opens in a new tab) teaches a free 30-minute hands-only CPR class to groups of 15 or more. See how to host a water safety workshop.

Sources: redcross.org (opens in a new tab), nyc.gov (opens in a new tab)

Use the trust and gatherings you already have. Share water safety before summer trips and holidays, host a CPR class, and help families find swim lessons that fit their values. Pediatrician Anisa Ibrahim writes for AAP Voices (opens in a new tab) that modest-dress concerns keep some Muslim families out of lessons, and describes a women-only swim program with female lifeguards that filled up fast. Our is built for these settings. See water safety for faith groups.

Source: aap.org (opens in a new tab)

World Drowning Prevention Day is held every year on 25 July. The UN General Assembly named it in April 2021, in its first-ever resolution on drowning prevention, according to the WHO (opens in a new tab). WHO says around 300,000 people drown worldwide each year. In July 2026 it launched seven proven strategies (opens in a new tab) for governments and communities, from swim skills to child care and flood preparedness. Schools and groups can use the day to share a lesson or host a workshop. See World Drowning Prevention Day.

Sources: who.int (opens in a new tab), who.int (opens in a new tab)

May. The American Red Cross (opens in a new tab) uses National Water Safety Month to remind families before summer that drowning is preventable and often silent, that nobody should swim alone, and that a water watcher should keep constant attention on children. It is a good time for schools, pools and community groups to share lessons and sign families up for swim classes. April is Adult Learn-to-Swim Month, run by U.S. Masters Swimming (opens in a new tab). See National Water Safety Month.

Sources: redcross.org (opens in a new tab), usms.org (opens in a new tab)

Because access to pools and lessons has never been equal. The CDC (opens in a new tab) links today's gaps to segregated pools, pool closures after integration and clubs that excluded Black families, and reports that lack of a nearby pool remains a major barrier for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native people. Income matters too: 79% of children in households earning under $50,000 have few to no swimming skills (Red Cross (opens in a new tab)). Communities can bring lessons closer to home. See drowning disparities.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab)

The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan, covering 2023 to 2032, calls for affordable, accessible and culturally competent swim lessons and more publicly accessible pools, as summarized by the CDC (opens in a new tab). That matters for communities where many adults never had the chance to learn. Local groups can help by hosting lessons at times and places that work for families, and by asking pools about modest swimwear and women-only sessions. See water safety in desi communities.

Source: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab)

Learn what your local fire and rescue services need and back it. Water rescue is technical work: NFPA 1006 (opens in a new tab) sets the minimum job requirements for responders who do technical rescue. Fire departments can apply for federal Assistance to Firefighters Grants (opens in a new tab) for equipment and training. Residents can support budget requests, attend public meetings and help set up life jacket loaner stations. Better training and equipment for emergency response teams is one of the four pillars in the Amin family's founding statement. See what water rescue teams need.

Sources: nfpa.org (opens in a new tab), fema.gov (opens in a new tab)

A spot at a beach, marina or park where families can borrow a properly fitting life jacket for free and return it after the outing. The BoatUS Foundation (opens in a new tab), a nonprofit, says families can borrow children's life jackets at more than 575 locations nationwide, and that applications to become a loaner site are accepted year-round. Stations help families who don't own jackets or whose children have outgrown them. See life jacket loaner stations and Life jacket loaner station.

Source: boatus.org (opens in a new tab)

Start with what you can do this month. Take a CPR class and encourage others to join; share our infographics with your school or group chat; or teach one of our free lesson plans at a library, camp or community center. The free online Red Cross Water Safety Ambassador course (opens in a new tab) prepares you to teach kids and adults. Strong swimmers 15 and older can train as Red Cross lifeguards (opens in a new tab). To help the Amin Foundation, see volunteer with us and host a workshop.

Sources: redcross.org (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab)

Tell us what your community needs. The Amin Foundation, a New York not-for-profit corporation (NYS Department of State (opens in a new tab)), was founded in memory of Basir Amin, Nasrin Amin and Afrid Haider. It is working toward water safety education, swimming lessons, awareness, and support for emergency responders and grieving families. Schools, faith groups, libraries and community organizations can use our free lesson plans, printables and infographics now, and can reach us through our partner page. Read how to host a workshop to get started.

Source: apps.dos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)

Pick one shared action. Post a water safety infographic, such as , where families gather. Schedule a CPR class; in New York City, the FDNY (opens in a new tab) teaches free classes for groups of 15 or more. Ask your local pool about free or low-cost lessons and modest swimwear. Put a date on the calendar for May, National Water Safety Month, or 25 July, World Drowning Prevention Day (WHO (opens in a new tab)). See how to host a workshop.

Sources: nyc.gov (opens in a new tab), who.int (opens in a new tab)