How Social Media Improves Water Safety (Guest Writer: Natalia Darlan)
Recently, the country has been experiencing extreme weather conditions. Reuters reports that temperatures are rising above 100 °F and it’s being felt in several areas such as New York (99 °F) and Texas (112 °F). In response, many Americans are getting into swimming to stay cool. This makes water safety all the more important because accidents like drowning can occur, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informs is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death among children ages 1-14.
Fortunately, people—especially families with children—can rely on social media for water safety information. And here are a few ways how:
Social media is used by swimmers of all ages
Swimmers of different ages, such as US Olympic Swimmer Katie Ledecky and the MYST Swim Team, use social media to post their experiences and participate in trends. In fact, Maryville University’s post about social media and sports notes that athletes themselves turn to social media to promote causes and bring awareness to certain issues—including water safety. One of the swimming athletes contributing to water safety awareness is US Olympic Swimmer Ryan Murphy, who encouraged people to sign the Safer Swimmer Pledge for better swimming safety this summer.
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Because of social media’s reach over swimmers of all ages, it becomes easier for professional swimmers like Murphy to spread water safety information. It also becomes simpler for casual swimmers like families to find reliable content regarding the subject.
Various types of water safety posts are available
With social media, different types of water safety posts are available for consumption such as videos, articles, and infographics. These different types of posts ensure that water safety tips are broadcasted to as many people as possible despite their social media preferences. Case in point: ABC News uses YouTube to advise families on how to stay safe at the pool. Their tip is to assign a “water watcher”—someone designated to keep an eye on swimmers at all times.
Water safety information is also available in article form. Boston University’s article on top water safety tips is available to view on a browser or using the NewsBreak app for those who prefer reading.
Organizations are promoting water safety on social media
Certain organizations are also doing their part online to keep people safe. For instance, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services launched a social media toolkit for National Water Safety Month and National Drowning Prevention Week. It contains water safety messages, pictures, and other resources like links that families can post on their own accounts.
On the other hand, the CDC’s healthy swimming social media library offers reliable messages for people to copy, paste, and post on social media. These vary from recreational water illnesses to drowning statistics, and they’re all within the 140-character limit that platforms require.
How local organizations can improve their social media safety reach
Aside from organizations’ current take on water safety information, they can further improve their reach in a few ways. The first is to post water safety information consistently on their accounts (1-2 times a day for Facebook and 3-5 times daily for Twitter) so people can interact with them multiple times a day. A social media engagement study from the University of Texas concludes that including photos and videos in posts will even improve engagement, so organizations must apply this, especially on water safety posts. Doing these will ensure that they reach as many people as possible, improving water safety.
Before taking your family out for a swim, be sure to read up on water safety information from the ways we’ve listed above and our article ‘Ocean and Beach Safety’. Stay safe and healthy as always!
By writer Natalia Darlan
AUTHOR BIO: Natalia Darlan is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about health and sports. When she’s not in front of her computer, you can find her exploring farmers markets or browsing through thrift shops.
