Drowning is a leading killer of children. We have written mostly about adult supervision, both by parents and lifeguards. Lifeguarding is tough work. Whether parents or professionals, lifeguards sit in hot temperatures, watch repetitive and rather boring behavior for long periods of time, and must identify very rare events — drownings — quickly and accurately to save lives. We have developed, evaluated, and implemented strategies to improve lifeguard surveillance and attention, which in turn increases safety in public swimming areas.

Sample Publications

• Schwebel, D. C., Ramos, W., Gilchrist, J., & Dixon, C. A. (2023). Expanding the concept of caregiver supervision to prevent child drowning. Pediatrics, 151, e2022060240.
• Schwebel, D. C., Jones, H. N., Holder, E., & Marciani, F. (2011). The influence of simulated drowning audits on lifeguard surveillance and swimmer risk-taking behaviors at public swimming pools. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 5, 210-218.
• Schwebel, D. C., Lindsay, S., & Simpson, J. (2007). Brief report: A brief intervention to improve lifeguard surveillance at a public swimming pool. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 32, 862-868.