Water Watchers in Los Angeles County
Water Watcher Program for Safe Swimming at Pools and Open Water
Providing constant supervision over young swimmers is an important responsibility and can help prevent drownings or near drownings. Unfortunately, tragedies often occur in group settings because people assume someone else is supervising the children in the water.
Designate a Water Watcher, a responsible adult whose sole duty is to supervise children in the pool until the next person takes over.
Water Watcher Responsibilities and Pledge
When an adult agrees to be a Water Watcher, they should pledge to do the following:
- While on duty, I will maintain constant visual contact with all children who are in or near the water.
- I will remain by the water until I am relieved by another adult who will serve as the next Water Watcher.
- I will keep a phone near me.
- I will refrain from drinking, socializing on duty, or looking at content on my phone.
- I will stop dangerous activity.
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In a drowning emergency, I will:
- Shout for Help
- Rescue and remove the person using available safety equipment as necessary
- Call 911 or have another adult call
- Provide rescue breathing and/or CPR as instructed by 911
- Have all other children exit the pool until the emergency is over
Water Watcher Card and Lanyard
To clearly identify who is your Water Watcher, it is best to create a Water Watcher card that can be attached to a lanyard or ribbon. As Water Watchers rotate, pass the card to the next person. Print Your Water Watcher Card .
Additional Water Watcher Information and Resources
Report a Problem
If you observe code violations or would like to report an issue you may call the call center at (888) 700-9995 or to the Recreational Waters program at (626) 430-5360 or File a Complaint Online. In addition, inquiries can also be emailed to rhealth@ph.lacounty.gov