Water Safety Program

Despite the proximity most of our residents have to public water access, whether they be saltwater beaches or freshwater ponds, Rhode Island does not have a robust water safety training curriculum. Every year, families are impacted by accidental drownings in the Ocean State, and many of our children and teens lack the skills needed to stay safe in the water. Originally capitalized by a line item proposed by Governor Dan McKee in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget which the Rhode Island General Assembly enacted in June 2023, DEM is provided with $85,000 annually to help address water safety in the Ocean State.

“Rhode Island has amazing beaches and freshwater resources that draw people to the water. DEM wants to support people who want to cool off, explore, and enjoy the water by guiding them to have fun and be safe. This includes working to decrease the risk of drowning by offering these grants. Our focused goal with the Water Safety Programs is to save lives. We want our waters to be accessible to more Rhode Islanders, and that starts with safety training.”  - DEM Director Terry Gray

Grants

DEM launched the Water Safety Grant Program in 2024, offering grants to communities and organizations that provide swimming or paddlecraft safety lessons to children and teens to support additional participation in their programs. Formal swimming and paddlecraft lessons are preventative measures that can reduce the risk of drowning. In addition to swimming and paddlecraft lessons, children should always be supervised by an adult near bodies of water including beaches and pools. 

Life Rings

Life rings provide flotation to a person struggling in the water and at risk of drowning until emergency personnel arrive. DEM has installed 12 life rings across Rhode Island:

• Burlingame State Park Picnic Area, Charlestown
• Burlingame State Campground, Charlestown
• Charlestown Breachway State Beach & Campground, Charlestown
• East Matunuck State Beach, South Kingstown
• George Washington Campground, Glocester
• Goddard Memorial State Park Beach, Warwick
• Lincoln Woods State Park Olney Pond, Lincoln
• Misquamicut State Beach, Westerly
• Pulaski State Park, Glocester
• Salty Brine State Beach, Narragansett
• Scarborough North State Beach, Narragansett
• Scarborough South State Beach, Narragansett

Paddle Safety

Paddling fatalities continue to increase nationally according to United States Coast Guard (USCG) 2023 statistics, rising by five percent and accounting for nearly one-third of the total boating fatalities recorded in 2023.

In 2025, DEM partnered with the USCG Auxiliary to host two free paddlecraft safety courses for the public. These courses taught students over the age of 16 how to choose and care for a paddlecraft, where to paddle, assessing and improving skills, and safety tips for paddling in cold water.