As the global observance of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25 approaches, the Antigua and Barbuda Swimming Federation (ABSF) has launched a public outreach effort, calling on all parents and guardians of children aged 6 to 12 to take part in a targeted national survey. This survey is a foundational step toward building a comprehensive, country-wide school swimming and water safety initiative that addresses long-standing public safety gaps in the island nation.
The core goal of the data collection effort is to build a clear, evidence-based picture of current swimming competency levels across households throughout Antigua and Barbuda. ABSF officials emphasize that the aggregated, anonymized data collected through the survey will serve as a critical tool when advocating for and securing funding to roll out the national program. Once funded, the initiative will embed structured swimming instruction and formal water safety education into school curriculums across the country.
In a public statement highlighting the urgency of the work, the ABSF drew attention to a stark global public health statistic: drowning ranks as the third leading cause of unintentional injury death for children between the ages of 4 and 14 worldwide. Against this backdrop, the federation reiterated that three core interventions are non-negotiable for cutting preventable drowning deaths: constant active adult supervision of children near water, mandatory access to structured swimming and water safety lessons from an early age, and widespread community training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Closing its appeal, the ABSF stressed that every child, regardless of background or location, has a fundamental right to feel and be safe when engaging with water environments. The federation is encouraging all eligible households to set aside time to complete the survey, noting that broad community participation will directly strengthen the impact and accessibility of the future national program.