The Off the Field National Football League Wives Association, in collaboration with the American Heart Association and other organizations, gathered nearly 200 children at Tulane University's Reily Center on February 4 for a comprehensive water safety event. This marks the second such initiative following a successful launch in Cincinnati in May 2024, with plans to expand to all 32 NFL markets. The event featured four-time Olympic medalist Cullen Jones and provided essential water safety training and Hands-Only CPR education to students from the Good Shepherd School and Bissonet Plaza Elementary School.
Dr. Hagar Elgendy, Vice President of the Off the Field NFL Wives Association and NFL Community Development, emphasized the critical nature of the initiative, stating commitment to teaching water safety to NFL athletes, their family members and NFL communities with the goal that no more lives are lost due to drownings. The urgency is underscored by CDC data showing drowning as the leading cause of unintentional death for children aged 1-4 and the second leading cause for those under 14. The disparity in swimming abilities among different demographics is particularly stark, with 45% of Hispanic/Latino children and 64% of African American children having little to no swimming ability.
During the event, participants learned vital skills including how to roll onto their backs if they fall in, push off the pool bottom, reach for walls, and help others in distress. The program integrated the American Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers™ initiative, which aims to double survival rates from cardiac emergencies by 2030. According to American Heart Association data, nine out of ten people who experience cardiac arrest outside hospitals die, partly because they don't receive immediate CPR more than half the time. The training emphasized that immediate CPR can double or triple survival chances.
USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Elaine Calip highlighted the importance of accessibility to water safety resources, particularly in underserved communities. The National Institute of Health reports that just one month of swimming lessons can reduce drowning risk by 88%. The YMCA's involvement ensures continued support through their Safety Around Water program, an eight-lesson curriculum designed to build water safety skills and confidence. Lindsay Mondick, director of aquatics and water safety at Y-USA, stressed that learning to swim is an essential life skill, not a privilege.
The initiative's timing coincides with Super Bowl activities in New Orleans, where the American Heart Association will offer additional Hands-Only CPR training at the Super Bowl Experience from February 5 through February 8 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. This expansion of water safety education represents a significant step toward addressing preventable drowning deaths and improving emergency response capabilities in communities across the country.
