Drownings continue to surge at an alarming rate this summer nationwide and in the tri-state area. Factors contributing to the spike included unexpected, unsupervised access to pools and open water, lack of barriers and fencing, the ongoing lifeguard shortage, dangerous currents and strong rip tides, and hidden water hazards. 

Here in New York City, six people have drowned at city beaches so far this year, surpassing last summer’s total of four and marking the highest number of fatalities since 2019, which saw at least seven deaths. This season’s fatalities include: two boys – ages 16 and 17 – at Jacob Riis Park on June 21, a pair of Bronx sisters – ages 17 and 18 – at Coney Island Beach on July 5, and two men – ages 26 and 30 – at Rockaway Beach on July 17 and July 22, respectively.

Elsewhere around the region, Long Island’s Suffolk County has seen a spate of backyard pool drownings, with a total of 10 reported fatalities through August 8, 2024, compared to four in 2023 and eight in 2022, according to data from the Suffolk County Police Department Homicide Squad. In New Jersey, where about 65 people drown each year, a string of drownings in backyard pools and along the Jersey Shore this summer have made tragic headlines.

The U.S is experiencing an unprecedented drowning crisis, especially among young children and African-Amerifans of all ages, according to a recent CDC report.

Drownings among kids ages 1-4 – already the leading cause of death for this age group – has risen 28% since 2019, while the rate for African-Americans climbed 28% in 2021 compared to 2019, the data revealed. Overall, there were more than 4,500 drownings in the U.S. annually from 2020 to 2022, an increase of about 10% over the past few years. These grim statistics underscore the urgent need for enhanced year-round water safety measures year-round to combat an entirely preventable tragedy.

The concerning uptick in nationwide drownings– following years of decline – can be attributed in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted swim lessons and water safety education, forced the closures of many public and community pools, and exacerbated our nation’s lifeguard shortage. Also, during the pandemic, sales of backyard pools and hot tubs – the setting where 87% of drownings of kids under the age of 5 occur – skyrocketed as quarantining families looked for ways to keep their children entertained at home.

Equally troubling was the CDC’s findings that 40 million American adults (15.4%) do not know how to swim and nearly 55% have never taken a swim lesson. Additionally, 63% of Black adults and 72% of Hispanic adults reported never taking a swim lesson. Barriers hindering these communities from learning to swim include cost, lack of access and resources, and historical and social factors. Making swim lessons and water safety education accessible and affordable for everyone is critical as formal swim lessons can reduce childhood drowning by 88%.

While summer may be ending, it is no time to let your guard down when it comes to water safety. That is because drowning is the No. 1 killer of children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of death for kids ages 5-14. As statistics bear out, drownings can happen at any time, and in an instant. Drownings are often silent and without any signs of struggle – and can occur in any body of water. Most young children drown in home pools, with about 70% occurring during non-swim times. Conversely, older children and young adults most often drown in open water such as oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds.

My heart aches for every drowning victim and their grieving families. I have experienced the devastation of this reality, having lost my six-year-old son, Zachary Archer Cohn, in a drain entrapment in our backyard pool in 2007. As parents, we thought we did everything we could to protect our children around water. We enrolled them in swim classes, reinforced the rules of the pool, and made sure they were always supervised while swimming. However, we were unaware of the dangers lurking beneath the surface. While Zachary was a strong and proficient swimmer, he was no match for the hundreds of pounds of force exerted by a pool drain.

Determined to help spare other parents the pain and grief we endured on that day and every day since, my husband, Brian, and I created a foundation – in Zachary’s honor – dedicated to improving water safety for children and families through education and advocacy. To date, our foundation has provided free water safety camps to more than 25,000 kids ages 5-9 in at-risk communities nationwide.

Water safety is essential 365 days a year – not just during the summer months. Remember to always practice and follow the ABCDE’s of water safety: A is for ADULT supervision, B is for BARRIERS around water (i.e. four-sided fencing around a pool), C is for swim CLASSES and CPR training, D is for avoiding DRAIN entrapment and using DEVICES such as Coast Guard-approved life jackets, and E is for EVERYWHERE because water is all around us. 

Increased advocacy and policy efforts are also critical in addressing the nation’s drowning crisis. We must expand the number of supervised community swimming spaces and provide added layers of staffing. We must address the lifeguard shortage through free training, better pay, and school programs that can keep pools open and safe. We must teach all children and adults how to swim and be safer in the water.

Drowning is 100% preventable. With knowledge and preparation – and through a whole community approach – we can curb this crisis. 

Karen Cohn co-founded The ZAC Foundation in 2008 with her husband, Brian Cohn, after their six-year-old son, Zachary, drowned in a drain entrapment. The ZAC Foundation has funded free water safety and swim camps for more than 25,000 children in at-risk communities nationwide.