Glossary
Buddy system
Never swimming alone: pairing swimmers so each one keeps track of the other and can get help.
The buddy system means never swimming alone. Swimmers pair up, stay near each other and check on each other, so if one gets into trouble the other can shout for help, alert a lifeguard or throw something that floats.
It is one of the simplest rules in water safety. The CDC (opens in a new tab) says to always swim with a buddy, and that the buddy system is especially helpful for people with seizure disorders or other medical conditions that raise drowning risk. The American Red Cross (opens in a new tab) says nobody should ever swim alone, adults and teens as well as children, and advises swimming with a buddy even in lifeguarded areas at the beach.
A buddy is not a babysitter. Children should not be put in charge of younger children in or near water; a buddy adds a layer on top of adult supervision, never in place of it. See water safety for kids 5 to 12 and water safety for adults.
What you can do today: agree with your family or friends that nobody swims alone, at home, at the lake or on vacation.