These themes reflect the challenges of reducing drowning in all Continents, Regions, Nations and Communities of the world and build on the Global Drowning Prevention Resolution.
Abstract submissions should reflect current understanding and advances in any of these themes. Specifically, submissions that address drowning prevention across low-middle income countries, prepared and delivered by Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) scholars, NGOs and agencies are strongly encouraged.
Presentations from each of the themes will be distributed throughout the conference programme in crosscutting sessions that address specific issues from many viewpoints.
Beneath each of the main themes, there is a list of sub-themes which demonstrate the subjects that are covered within the main theme.
Overall Theme
Waves of Change: Charting A Course To Safer Waters.
Conference Aim
The world conference for drowning prevention aims to unite global experts, innovate lifesaving strategies and drive action to eliminate drowning as a leading cause of death worldwide.
Conference Objectives
- To gather worlds experts in drowning prevention in lifesaving and lifeguarding research, education and operations and to find the best approaches, techniques and technologies to reduce the global drowning burden.
- To advance drowning prevention programmes and procedures.
- To gather evidence of child and adolescent drowning prevention.
- To facilitate presentations of views and papers relating to drowning prevention and associated subjects.
- To discuss and facilitate access to equipment used in drowning prevention.
- To explore and identify methods to increase the lifesaving effort worldwide, especially in population centres where the rates of death by drowning are high.
- To acquire and disseminate preventive behaviours and easier techniques to help to prevent drowning and save lives.
- To identify potentially dangerous situations and predict its consequences.
Conference Target Groups
- Academic Staff
- Researchers
- Lifeguards and Lifeguard instructors
- Lifesaving expert
- Aquatic professionals
- Prevention experts
- Rescue experts
- State security bodies
- Governments
- Institutions.
Conference Themes
01. Assessing the Burden of Drowning
This theme will cover research and studies that indicates individuals at high-risk of drowning and the impact of drowning incidents within a particular population, region or timeframe.
Examples of topics within the theme might include:
- Local and global status of drowning: Provide statistics on fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents.
- Risk factors for drowning: Identify common factors that contribute to drowning.
- Demographics: This refers age groups, gender, individuals with disabilities or medical conditions, indigenous populations, refugees, etc. at high-risk of drowning.
- Occupational settings: Activities based around the water such as occupational, fishing, scuba industry, etc. that put individuals in high risk of drowning.
- Impact on communities: Discuss how drowning incidents affect families, communities, and healthcare systems.
- Impact on economy: Discuss how drowning affect the economy.
- Data collection implications: Advancing the challenges of data collection including availability, quality and accuracy.
02. Drowning Preventive Strategies
This theme will cover research, policy and case studies that detail strategies, interventions or evidenced based programmes to prevent drowning.
Examples of topics within this theme might include:
- Research and policy making: local and global preventive strategies.
- Safety: Installation of barriers and environmental and modifications.
- Strategies: local and global strategies targeting drowning prevention.
- Aquatic facilities: effective allocation of resources and operational optimization that contribute to drowning prevention.
- Community programs: Efforts across health, education and relevant sectors to raise awareness in drowning prevention and lifesaving.
- Developmental agendas: Exploring the role of drowning in different areas i.e. sustainable development goals, water development sector, child health.
03. Swimming and Water Safety Education
This theme will cover research, policy and case studies focusing on the instruction of swimming, personal aquatic survival to all age groups and public awareness in high, middle and low-income contexts.
Examples of topics within the theme might include:
- Curriculum and teaching methods: Key components of swimming and water safety programs and effective methods for teaching different age groups and skill levels.
- School programs: Integrate water safety and swimming education into school curriculums to reach children and adolescents.
- Accessibility and inclusivity: Programs targeting individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities or geographic and economic barriers.
- Community programs: Efforts across health, education and relevant organizations to raise awareness in drowning prevention and lifesaving.
- Impact of education: Effect of swimming and water safety education on eliminating drowning.
04. Lifesaving and Maritime Rescue
This theme will cover research, policy and case studies in managing resources and rescue services in different aquatic environments.
Examples of topics within the theme might include:
- Equipment and Resources: Ensuring the availability of lifesaving equipment from lifejackets to rescue boats and other vehicles.
- Lifeguard workforce: Deployment of lifeguards and patrol boats in high traffic or dangerous areas.
- Aquatic facilities: From leisure and recreation to sports and education, identifying risks and opportunities, various standards can be developed (ie: maintenance, water quality, certifications, safety protocols, etc.)
- Community: Highlight the impact of volunteer development and training bystanders.
- Lifesaving sport: Its contribution to the service and the humanitarian context.
- Search and rescue: Procedures, techniques and best practices for locating and rescuing individuals in distress at sea.
- Advance water safety programs in tourism management.
05. Environmental Risks in Drowning
This theme will cover research, policy and case studies the environmental factors that contribute to drowning incidents. The discussions will focus on identifying and mitigating these risks.
Examples of topics within this theme might include:
- Rip currents, from science to prevention.
- Risk management: Risk assessment across all aquatic environments.
- The influence of seasonal weather changes on drowning incidents.
- The impact of water pollution and contaminants on drowning risks.
- The risk of submerged obstacles and natural hazards.
- Coastal erosion and beach safety.
06. Emergency Response and Medical care
This theme will cover research, policy and case studies that explores critical techniques and protocols for providing rapid emergency response intervention in drowning emergencies.
Examples of topics within this theme might include:
- Emergency response coordination: This includes rapid response protocols and the use of boats and helicopters.
- Drowning resuscitation & guidelines.
- Improve rescue team access to hard-to-reach locations.
- Advancements in the medical aspects of rescue, first aid and resuscitation.
- Neurological damage post drowning resuscitation.
- Drowning resuscitation challenges in low and middle-income countries (ex: AED)
- Psychological impact on Rescuer
07. Disaster Management and Climate Change
This theme will cover research, policy and case studies that seek to further understanding and action in reducing drowning and the impacts arising from disaster.
Examples of topics within the theme might include:
- Emergency response: Plans, community training and early warning systems.
- Infrastructure and Engineering: Flood defenses and safe evacuation routes.
- Impact of climate change on drowning risk in communities.
- Analysis: Mapping down the burden of drowning in disaster.
- Effective strategies: Implementation of improved flood management and community education to address changing risk patterns.
- The Sendai Framework and Disaster Risk Reduction.
- Lifesaving: The role of lifesaver and rescue services in disaster.
08. Drowning in Low and Middle- Income Countries
This theme will cover research, policy and case studies addressing the challenges from drowning and the evolution of lifesaving and drowning prevention strategies in low-middle-income countries.
09. Government Role in Drowning Prevention
The theme will cover research, policy and case studies focusing on national and international collaborative approaches in addressing drowning prevention.
Examples of topics within this theme might include:
- Policy and legislation: Role of coast guards, marine police, and other agencies in enforcing water safety and boating regulations.
- Standards and guidelines: Establish national standards and guidelines for water safety education, emergency response, and rescue operations.
- National campaigns: Launch and fund public awareness campaigns to educate communities about drowning risks and prevention measures.
- Improve infrastructure for safe water access and emergency response routes.
- Funding and resources: Allocate resources and provide funding for community-based drowning prevention programs, interventions and researches.
- Partnerships: Public/private partnerships that work to address national or sub-national water safety plans.
- Joint operations: Collaborating with NGOs maritime organizations and government bodies to enhance safety measures.
10. Technology and Artificial Intelligence
The theme will cover research, policy and case studies that focus on innovative solutions that leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance water safety and prevent drowning incidents.
Examples of topics within this theme might include:
- Data analytics, AI and incidental management systems.
- Advancement in water safety practices and response strategies.
- Mobile apps and advanced educational approaches.
- Advanced search, rescue equipment and navigations systems.
- Use of surveillance systems like cameras and drones to monitor swimming designated areas and detects distress signals.
- Mobile apps for emergency reporting, underwater drowning detection systems, drowning simulation training (VR), etc.
- Advanced forecasting and environmental monitoring.