As a founding member of Water Safety USA, BSA commits to prevent drownings

Water Safety USA logoParents receive a tidal wave of advice about water safety, and sometimes those messages have inadvertent contradictions.

It’s time to get everyone in the same boat.

That’s why the Boy Scouts of America is one of 13 founding members of Water Safety USA, a new roundtable of nonprofit and governmental organizations committed to preventing drownings.

The BSA is in esteemed company here. Other groups in Water Safety USA include the American Red Cross, the National Park Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the USA Swimming Foundation and the YMCA.

Keith Christopher, the BSA’s national director for Outdoor Programs/Properties, is optimistic about this new team.

“The Boy Scouts of America has focused on water safety for our members during its entire history,” he said. “We look forward to further collaboration with other national and local water safety organizations to keep our youth and families safe in, on, under, and around the water.”

B. Chris Brewster serves as the moderator of Water Safety USA and agrees that there’s strength in unity.

“We’ve all agreed we’ll be even more effective working together,” he said. “As our messaging aligns and we promote it in concert, public understanding should improve, and safer use of our waters will be the result.”

We need Water Safety USA now more than ever. Every day, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning, according to this fact page from Water Safety USA. And participation in formal swim lessons can reduce the likelihood of childhood drowning death by 88 percent.

Scouts love spending time on and in the water, and the BSA’s involvement with Water Safety USA will ensure Scouts stay safe there.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.