Informative Speech

Bibliography
Drownings
Type: Journal
APA Citation: Branche, C. M., & Hopkins, W. (2001). Lifeguard effectiveness : a report of the
working group. CDC stacks. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/11284
Paragraph: This article by the CDC examines the effectiveness of a lifeguard. I plan to use the
information provided to sway my audience as to why they should need a lifeguard on duty
when swimming. The article covers drownings in oceans, lakes, and rivers, as well as swimming
pools the leader in drownings per year. I specifically like the article includes a statistic that the
chance of drowning at a lifeguarded beach is less than 1 in 18 million. I think that this will
emphasize the need for lifeguards and why they are important in our communities.
2nd Paragraph: This source is very credible since it was written by the CDC. However, I am a
little worried that data might be outdated since this was released in 2001. Still, I don’t think that
this should discredit the article as its findings are still relevant to my informative topic. Another
thing I appreciate the article includes are ways to protect yourself or someone you may know
from a potentially fatal accident.

Type: Journal
APA Citation: CPSC Report Shows Fatal Child Drownings Remain High; Nonfatal Drowning
Injuries Spiked by 17 Percent in 2021. (2022, June 9). Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Retrieved October 24, 2022, from
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2022/CPSC-Report-Shows-Fatal-Child-
Drownings-Remain-High-Nonfatal-Drowning-Injuries-Spiked-by-17-Percent-in-2021
1st Paragraph: This article offers a lot of statistics that will be very helpful in my speech. It will
be beneficial to use statistics like the average of a drowning victim, how fatal a drowning
usually is, and the number of drownings per year. I plan on pairing this with my first resource
since it really emphasizes the reason pools and swimming areas should have a lifeguard on
duty.
2nd Paragraph: This source is credible it is published by the CPSC and links a very good article
that I will be able to extract tons of information from. The source is also from 2022 which
makes it very relevant, it also gives me my claims and statements more credibility. However,
the one cavoite for this source is it only cites pool and hot tub incidents, not incidents at
beaches, lakes, or rivers. This might be an issue since I want to provide information from all
types of recreational areas.

Type: Website
APA Citation: Brown, F. (2022, July 4). Drowning prevention and open water safety. CNN.
Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/drowning-water-safety-tips-
wellness/index.html
1st Paragraph: My final source will be ways to prevent drownings. I think this is essential to my
topic because you cannot rely solely on a lifeguard. If I can offer alternative ways to my
audience, this may make them feel more comfortable around pools. I plan on citing the
different ways to avoid drowning such as how to examine water environments. The article also
references the National Lifeguard shortage, which may also be a cause of drowning victims. I
think the information and opinions provided in this article will help me deliver solutions to my
audience.
2nd Paragraph: CNN is a credible news source with plenty of respected writers. This article will
work perfect with my speech because it lists reasons why drownings may occur and solutions
for preventing drownings. Although a lot of the solutions are common sense, I still think that
this information will be useful to my audience. I also hope that it will warrant my listeners to
implement these actions into their own lives after the presentation.

Audience Assessment/Analysis

Narrowed Topic: I was going to explain the importance of lifeguards, but I have narrowed my
topic to drownings, and how we can prevent them.

Specific Purpose: My audience will understand how to prevent drownings.

Ethos:
-Primary Ethos: I have been a lifeguard instructor for 5 years
-Secondary Ethos: I will use different references, as well as my real-life experience.

Audience Knowledge Level: Most audience members will have a general idea on how to
prevent drownings.

Adaptation to Audience Knowledge: I will help my audience understand the importance of this
topic by citing yearly statistics of fatal drownings. This might appeal to someone who is not a
strong swimmer or a parent who is teaching their child how to swim. I plan on using my
references to back up my claims.

Pattern of Organization: I’ll use the problem-solution method

How will you use this audience assessment to prepare for your speech: This assessment will
help me prepare the structure of my speech. I already feel very confident in the information,
but I still think that it will need to be organized in way that doesn’t seem boring. I think this is a
very important topic to discuss and could help prevent dozens of future fatal drownings.

Outline

How to Prevent Drownings

Introduction

I. Attention Getter: Imagine this, you are a child at the pool on a hot summer day with
your family. While mom and dad are busy setting up the towels and chairs, you decide
to take a step in. The water feels nice, so you keep walking deeper and deeper until you
can’t touch the bottom. Wait, you can’t touch the bottom. Your arms begin to flail as
you desperately try to keep your head above water. Suddenly, a hand grabs you and
drags you back to the edge of the pool. Your parents are angry, yet you’re glad to be
alive.

II. Thesis: Today, I’m going to talk about drownings, and how you can prevent them.

III. Ethos: I have experience as a lifeguard instructor, so being able to provide tips on
staying safe in water is very important to me.

IV. Preview: [List here the two or three points you will cover in your speech. State your
preview out loud in your introduction.]
1. Who is more likely to drown
2. Signs of a victim
3. Ways to prevent drowning

Transition: Hopefully, you are listening. First, let’s examine who is more likely to drown.

Body

I. While anyone is susceptible to drowning, here are some statistics that indicate younger
people are at a higher risk.
A. In the US, there is an average of 3,500 to 4,000 drownings per year
1. More children ages 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death
except birth defects
 a) This is the second leading cause of unintentional death after
motor vehicle crashes.
B. 23% of child drownings happen during family gatherings near a pool.
1. 87% of drowning fatalities happen in home pools or hot tubs for children
younger than 5
C. Children 5 to 17 years old are more likely to drown in natural water, such as
ponds or lakes.

Transition: Next, let’s go over how to recognize a victim drowning

II. It takes less that 20 seconds for a victim to begin drowning. But there are lots of ways to
recognize one
A. They appear to be climbing an invisible ladder.
1. The most obvious scenario, a victim may begin flailing their arms around
to stay above water
2. They will not be focused and may be frantic
B. Their head is with their mouth at water level
1. This means the victim is sinking and will need immediate assistance.
C. Hyperventilating or gasping
1. The victim will be swallowing water, making it harder for them to be able
to breath.
2. It will be difficult for them to signal for help

Transition: Lastly, let’s cover ways to prevent drownings.

III. There are many useful tips that you can implement in order to become a more vigilant
and safer.
A. Observe the type of water you will be swimming in
1. Acknowledge if the body of water has a lifeguard present, high current,
deep areas, etc. before entering
B. Wear a life jacket
1. Life jackets reduce the risk of drowning for people of all ages and
swimming abilities
2. A life jacket can keep you afloat for up to 24 hours if properly fitted.

C. Make sure the water is being supervised

1. There is a 1 in 18 million chance of drowning while a lifeguard is on duty.
Drowning rates are lower when a lifeguard is present
2. Lifeguards are equipped to handle drowning situations
 3. Lifeguards recue over 100,000 people annually.

Transition to close: In closing…

Conclusion

I. Summarize Main Points and Thesis: Drownings are something that can be easily
prevented yet aren’t. Equipping yourself with the knowledge of how to recognize a
drowning victim is a great first step in reducing this ever long issue.
II. End the Speech with a Concluding Device: Now that you know the basics of how to be
safe in a body of water. I hope that you take this information and share it with others, so
that we can all prevent a future tragedy.

References
Branche, C. M., & Hopkins, W. (2001). Lifeguard effectiveness : a report of the working

group. CDC stacks. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/11284

Brown, F. (2022, July 4). Drowning prevention and open water safety. CNN. Retrieved

October 24, 2022, from https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/drowning-water-safety-tips-wellness/

index.html

CPSC Report Shows Fatal Child Drownings Remain High; Nonfatal Drowning Injuries

Spiked by 17 Percent in 2021. (2022, June 9). Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Retrieved October 24, 2022, from

https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2022/CPSC-Report-Shows-Fatal-Child-

Drownings-Remain-High-Nonfatal-Drowning-Injuries-Spiked-by-17-Percent-in-2021