Learn how to reduce risk and increase safety around the water.
At our core, our mission is to make people of all ages safer and more confident around water, so they can Love Water and all it brings to life. In addition to focusing on water safety in our schools, we invite parents and caregivers to read and download these water safety facts, tips, and resources.
Most importantly, we encourage everyone to learn to swim – with FOSS or anywhere. A formal study found that “participation in formal swimming lessons was associated with an 88% reduction in the risk of drowning in 1- to 4-year-old children.”
Water deserves respect. These facts show why water safety is so important, and why parents and caregivers should take action and be committed to water safety. Learn more about drowning and drowning prevention at the Center for Disease Control website.
Before a person can truly love water, they need to feel safe. Water safety is built into our curriculum at every level, and many of the first lessons a swimmer learns at FOSS are about safety. We also have a special water safety session in spring and fall, and support Water Safety Month initiatives each May.
Our co-founder, Jon Foss, was taught to respect the water and embrace swimming by his mother, who lost a sibling to drowning. His curriculum and approach prioritize safety and recognize that kids swim best when they learn to love water – and are safest when they can swim confidently.
Important Lessons We Teach Swimmers:
✅ Always wait for permission to swim
✅ If you fall in, stay calm & float to breathe
✅ Find the wall or the nearest safe place
✅ Swim-Flip-Swim to get to safety
✅ Elbow-Elbow-Squeeze to exit a pool
✅ Hold your breath and return to the surface
Five approaches, applied together, have been shown to reduce the risk of drowning. Since safety around water cannot be guaranteed, everyone needs to do all they can to help. Learn more about the Five Layers at the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
Barriers & Alarms
Help prevent unsafe access to pools and water.
Supervision
A responsible, alert observer may spot and save a person
Water Competency
Swim lessons and water safety training help reduce risk
Life Jackets
Should be worn as protection, especially around open water
Emergency Preparation + CPR
Knowing what to do in an emergency can save a life
Go deeper into important water safety topics in the Foss Swim School blog.
Foss Swim School has created downloadable, shareable, printable resources to aid parents and caregivers in promoting water safety.
Foss Swim School partners with, supports, and celebrates the many organizations working to promote water safety and reduce the risk of drowning. Learn about some of these groups here:
