Issue Six- February 2021:

By Mercedes Barreto

To prevent drowning, near-drowning, and other water-related incidents in Palm Beach County, The Drowning Prevention Coalition of PB County educates residents on water safety and basic rescue techniques. A major cause of drowning in both PB County and the U.S. is unsupervised water activity.

When did the idea of drowning-related deaths really strike the homes and hearts of residents in the Palm Beach County area as a pressing matter, and an important one? When did this all begin?

“During the mid-1990s, former County Commissioner Warren Newell helped establish a Drowning Prevention Task Force along with a gentleman whose daughter was severely injured as a result of a non-fatal drowning event.  The Task Force consisted of key stakeholders whose mission was to raise community awareness about water safety.

With drowning incidents averaging around 52 per year, in the late 1990s, Commissioner Newell approached the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Palm Beach County Health Care District, and the County’s Children’s Services Council to provide permanent funding for a County Drowning Prevention Coalition (DPC). 

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue (PBCFR) has housed and managed the Coalition since the early 2000s with a full-time Coordinator in place.  In 2007, a new full-time DPC Coordinator and Manager were hired due to the growing demand for DPC’s services.  The Coordinator’s primary focus was children’s programming while the manager concentrated on administrative duties and providing adult water safety presentations.  Currently, there are two primary funding sources for the DPC. The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners ($175,000 as of FY 2019), and the Children’s Services Council (CSC) of Palm Beach County ($100,000 as of FY 2018). Of the $100,000, $50,000 must be guaranteed for swimming lessons.”

What kinds of stories do you hear from families and individuals alike who benefited from the organization and their work, and how? From the families who did not?

“Many credit our organization with giving their children an opportunity to be exposed to the necessary skills to survive in the water.  For children who do not qualify for our program, their caregivers are given information about aquatic facilities that are less expensive than private swim schools.”

What would be the number one reason why drowning related deaths occur for families in PB County homes? Is there an age average or common age seen when evaluating the number of children who die this way? A common statistic?

“The number one reason why drowning related deaths occur for families is due to a lapse in adult supervision.  The common premise is that “I thought you were watching” or “I only turned around for a second” but in actuality, no one was actively supervising (eye to eye contact).  The most common age group is children ages 1-4 who are most vulnerable.”

Where can people go to learn more about the safety of their children and drowning prevention? Why should they? Is there a daily risk, especially for coastal or poolside South Florida homes?

“To learn more, visit www.pbcgov.org/dpc – being surrounded by fresh bodies of water (lakes, ponds, and canals), along with the ocean and swimming pools, everyone is susceptible to a drowning incident regardless of their age, race, gender, socioeconomic background, and swimming capabilities.  Those that are coastal or have pools in their backyards need to be even more vigilant in and around water since accessibility is close.”

What have been some common thoughts or common distress heard from grieving parents who have lost children this way? And why should every family, and every parent, care? 

“Grieving parents who have lost children to a drowning incident often express that they never thought such an incident would happen to them, for they were helicopter parents and always extremely careful.  Losing a loved one to drowning is devastating not only to the family itself but also to the community.  Such tragedies can be prevented when necessary layers of protection are in place (i.e. knowing how to swim, vigilant supervision, proper working barriers surrounding bodies of water, swimming at lifeguarded areas).”

How can any common, interested individual get involved?

“Call our office at (561)-616-7068 for more information.”