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. Submissions that address knowledge gaps in areas of indigenous populations, culturally diverse communities, emerging challenges and low resource settings are encouraged.
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 program 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
Drowning is preventable.
Conference Aim
Give impetus to drowning prevention programmes and strategies World-Wide.
Conference Objectives
- To gather the 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 markets
- Academic Staff
- Researchers
- Lifeguards and Lifeguard instructors
- Lifesaving expert
- Aquatic professionals
- Prevention experts
- Rescue experts
- State security bodies
- Governments
- Institutions.
Conference areas of emphasis, themes or streams
Prevention
The Prevention theme will cover research, policy and case studies that detail strategies, interventions or evidenced based programmes to reduce drowning. Examples of topics within this theme might include: Evidence based interventions across the life stages, particularly in high risk demographics including children under five, people over 55 years, men and youth. Evidence based interventions targeting communities at risk, particularly indigenous populations, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, refugees and economically disadvantaged groups. Communication, education and advocacy initiatives where evaluation is able to measure impacts. Activity based drowning prevention examples include occupational, fishing, scuba industry. Research and policy making, particularly where it addresses any of the above.
Rescue
The Rescue theme covers research, policy and case studies in lifesaving, lifeguarding and rescue services, including flood and maritime rescue; also advancements in standards and techniques across the full range of rescue contexts – surf, open water, inland waters and swimming pools. Examples of topics within the theme might include: Innovation and advances in lifesaving and lifeguarding practice, equipment and technologies. Rip currents, from science to prevention. Risk management and assessment across all aquatic environments. Programmes that seek to train bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation. Leadership challenges in flood and maritime rescue. Innovative solutions to challenges experienced by rescuers in low resource settings. Lifeguard service, workforce and volunteer development. Lifesaving sport and its advancement in the service and humanitarian context. Training, research and practices in marine search and rescue.
Medical
The Medical theme will cover research, policy and case studies focusing on the drowning process, first response and medical treatments following drowning and other aquatic first aid areas. Examples of topics within the theme might include: Drowning resuscitation & guidelines. Advancements in the medical aspects of rescue, first aid and resuscitation. Neurological damage after drowning resuscitation. Drowning resuscitation challenges in low and middle income countries.
Swimming and water safety
The Swimming and Water Safety theme will cover research, policy and case studies focusing on the instruction of swimming, basic rescue, personal aquatic survival to all age groups in high, middle and low income contexts. Examples of topics within the theme might include: The science of swimming and water safety. Evaluation of programmes and policies in this area. Evaluation of advocacy, public awareness & strategic communication initiatives. Programmes targeting at-risk communities. Instructional effectiveness, evidence based techniques. Evaluation of programmes targeting basic rescue skills. Evidence based papers exploring the theme of personal aquatic survival skills.
Disaster
The Disaster theme covers research, policy and case studies that seek to further understanding and action in reducing drowning and the impacts arising from disaster. Contexts can include maritime, storm surge, flooding and tsunami. Examples of topics within the theme might include: Drowning prevention in the context of disaster risk reduction efforts. Impacts of climate change on drowning risk in communities. Attempts to map the burden of drowning in disaster. Case studies involving community-based disaster reduction. Case studies outlining the role of lifesaver and rescue services in disaster.
Partnerships
The theme will cover research, policy and case studies focusing on collaborative approaches to addressing drowning prevention. Examples of topics within the theme might include: Multi-sectoral approaches to drowning prevention. Evaluations and/or case studies addressing national or sub-national water safety plans. Public/private partnerships addressing drowning. Papers exploring the role of drowning in other development agendas i.e. sustainable development goals, water development sector, child health.
Data collection
The theme will cover research, policy and case studies that seek to measure, outline or improve understanding of drowning epidemiology in communities, nations and regions of the world. Examples of topics within this theme might include: Studies that estimate the burden of drowning in a specific population. Advancing the challenges of data collection including availability, quality and confidence. Studies that outline and advance our understanding of burden and patterns of drowning. Studies that advance our understanding of the burden of non-fatal drowning. Studies that advance our understanding of intentional drowning.
Development
The theme encompasses papers that explore areas of alignment between drowning prevention and the development agenda. Examples of topics within this theme might include: Access to safe and clean water. Health and development. Climate change. The Sendai Framework and Disaster Risk Reduction. Gender and equality.