Our Mission

The National Center for Cold Water Safety was established in 2012 to reduce the incidence of close calls, injuries, and fatalities due to cold water immersion. The Center is in a unique position to accomplish this goal because its sole mission is the study and promotion of cold water safety.

 

Accurate information on cold water safety is vital to anyone venturing onto cold water, whether their sport is canoeing, kayaking, sailing, fishing, hunting, paddle boarding, board sailing, surfing, open water swimming, scuba diving, rowing, surf skiing, or motor boating.

 

It's also mission-critical for risk management, occupational safety, emergency management, search and rescue, and any commercial or military operations in which immersion in cold water is a possibility.

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We believe that the most effective way to promote cold water safety is to:

 

• Provide information that is medically and scientifically sound, practical and easy to apply, and based on real-world experience.

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• Focus on prevention rather than treatment.

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• Expose misinformation.

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• Partner with any individual, group, or organization interested in the promotion of cold water safety.

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The National Center for Cold Water Safety serves as a valuable international resource to which both individuals and other organizations can turn for information, technical assistance, and training on the subject.

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As subject matter experts, we partner with the National Weather Service in support of their mission to reduce close calls and fatalities during weather extremes.