Practice water safety
Wear a fitted life jacket on boats, swim near others, and know the water before you go in.
- How often
- As needed
- Recommended for
- 3 factors
How to do it
- Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket that fits and is fully buckled whenever you are on a boat, kayak or paddleboard.
- Swim with a buddy or where a lifeguard is on duty. Avoid swimming alone in open water.
- Check conditions first, including weather, currents and rip current warnings. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore.
- Skip alcohol while you swim, boat or fish from a boat.
- Learn basic swimming skills and CPR if you spend a lot of time near water.
Why it helps
Drowning can happen quickly and quietly, even to strong swimmers in cold or moving water. Most people who drown while boating were not wearing a life jacket, and alcohol is involved in a large share of recreational water deaths.
Be careful
Don't go in after a struggling swimmer. Reach or throw something that floats and call 911. Cold water can make even strong swimmers unable to swim within minutes.