Suffolk County has unveiled a lifeline against the massive wave of drownings plaguing the area — with its first-ever preventative action plan to stop the surge in deaths.
In response to drownings in Suffolk jumping from 15 in 2023 to 24 last year — an alarming 60% rise — officials rolled out Thursday a new county specific response.
The county’s new five-point plan seeks to slash the number of drownings by boosting water safety education and community outreach, strengthening lifeguard ranks, and improving data collection and risk assessment.
“This initiative will save lives,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine told The Post.
Romaine and other officials who worked on the initiative together touted the first-of-its-kind action plan as a massive accomplishment that will lead to safer summers and less deaths on Long Island.
As a majority of the deaths in 2024 — 15 — happened in backyard pools, the plan includes special action to lower that number with education and safety initiatives throughout the county.
Officials haven’t released the full plan, but detailed the early steps already being taken include Stony Brook currently analyzing the area’s drowning data to better understand the risks, local schools adding swim and safety lessons, and even Airbnb teaming with the county to push pool safety tips to hosts and renters.
“Through the work of this dedicated group of professionals we will educate the community and provide a safer environment for anyone who wants to enjoy the water,” Romaine said.
To create the plan, the county partnered with Stony Brook and two national nonprofits — Stop Drowning Now, and the ZAC Foundation — which was founded by Karen and Brian Cohn after their six-year-old son Zachary died in a backyard pool drain accident in 2008.
“Drowning prevention requires coordinated community action, which is exactly what this plan delivers,” Karen said.
Bobby Hazen, the executive director of Stop Drowning Now and a founding member of the NY Water Safety Coalition, stressed that New York is a top five state in drowning deaths throughout the country and said this plan will bring the resources and education needed to combat that rise.
He pointed out that water is the top killer of kids under 4, the second leading cause of death for those 5 to 14 — and that more than half of adults can’t swim — a crisis, he said, that is entirely preventable with the proper education and the right safeguards in place.
“This action plan was much needed in Suffolk County,” said Dr. Jacqueline Bober, a pediatric ER physician at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
Jamie Ryan, a registered nurse at Stony Brook who helped bring the plan to fruition alongside Bober, agreed with his colleague.
“This plan takes us beyond awareness and into real action,” he said.
Read the full article here