Project Wipeout
The Project Wipeout mission is to inspire a culture of water safety at the beach and beyond through education and community engagement.
-
Eyes Save Lives
The Eyes Save Lives program consists of a short presentation for parents and caregivers on water safety.
-
Beach Safety
From tips on ocean currents to sun safety essentials, explore our comprehensive guide to enjoying the beach while prioritizing your health and safety.
-
Resources
The Project Wipeout education materials below are free to download, print and use!
Project Wipeout started in 1979 with a mission to “wipeout” spinal cord injuries at the beach. Today, Project Wipeout continues as a hospital-based community benefit program dedicated to reducing the burden of beach injuries and drowning events. Through partnership with local lifeguard departments, hospital personnel, and nonprofit organizations, Project Wipeout promotes beach and water safety culture through targeted education initiatives and engagement with the community. Committed to evidence-based practices and collaborative programming, our activities aspire to increase the quality and effectiveness of beach injury and drowning prevention efforts at a local, regional, and national level.
Project Wipeout programming and strategic planning is driven by an advisory committee comprised of representatives from local Orange County lifeguard departments and
representatives from Hoag Hospital. The mission of the Project Wipeout Advisory Committee is to aid the Hoag Hospital Community Benefit Department in realizing the Project Wipeout mission; serving as consultants on strategies, programmatic activities, and technical content. The committee meets several times per year.
Project Wipeout hosts an Annual Lifeguard Education Conference for local lifeguards. This conference is a continuing education and training opportunity for lifeguards to learn from doctors, nurses and other experts on a variety of topics related to professional ocean lifeguards.
Annual Lifeguard Education Conference
Project Wipeout Advisory Committee developed a beach safety presentation for school-
based outreach on beach and water safety. Lifeguards frequently visit schools each spring to educate students about the various hazards at the beach and provide direction on the actions one can take to stay safe while around the water.
School beach safety curriculum
Local lifeguards frequently attend community events to spread the word about beach and pool safety.
Project Wipeout collaborates with other groups involved in the prevention of drowning and beach injuries on the local and state level.” Project Wipeout personnel have attended and presented at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention, The United States Lifesaving Association Education Conference, and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance Annually Conference; and frequently collaborate with the Orange County Drowning Prevention Taskforce.
Collaboration with drowning prevention, lifesaving, and beach safety partners
Project Wipeout developed a short water safety presentation for parents and caregivers. Nurses, lifeguards, swim coaches, and swim teachers deliver this presentation at swim lessons, home owner’s association meetings, parent teacher association meetings, and other locations where parents and caregivers are gathered.
