While the United States has one of the safest drinking water supplies in the world, how we interact with water in other ways – whether outdoors in a recreational sense or indoors in simple daily activities – can produce either tremendous enjoyment or great concern. 

Water-related deaths and injuries occur both outside and inside the home, with drowning being the most common in both environments. Like many accidental deaths and injuries, most are preventable. Keeping water safety top of mind can save lives and reduce injuries for the young and old alike. 

According to the Centers for Disease Contral (CDC), there are more than 4,000 accidental drownings in the US every year – an average of 11 drowning deaths per day. There are an additional 8,000 non-fatal drownings, which occur when a person experiences breathing difficulties due to being submerged in the water, but survives the incident. These can result in outcomes ranging from no injuries to brain damage or permanent disability.

Children are at greater risk

More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death, says the CDC, and for children ages 5–14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes. According to the Children’s Safety Network, infants under the age of 1 are most likely to drown in a bathtub, while those aged 1-4 drown mostly in home swimming pools. However, people of all ages are at risk. According to the Florida Department of Health, Florida ranks fourth in the nation for unintentional drowning deaths among all ages. 

Rub-a-dub-dub: Be Safe in the tub! 

September is Baby Safety Month, sponsored annually since 1983 by the Baby Safety Alliance which champions safety through advocacy, product safety, education, and philanthropy. The Alliance’s charitable arm, the Baby Safety Foundation, offers these bathtub safety tips:

·  Collect all necessary bathing materials before bringing baby into the bathroom.

·  Never leave baby unattended during bath time. If you need to leave the bathroom, take baby with you. Do not rely on older children to watch baby for you.

·  Never add water to the tub while baby is in it. Empty the tub completely immediately after each use. A baby can drown in as little as one inch of water.

·  Always check the water temperature before placing your child in the bathtub; the water coming out of the faucet should be no hotter than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

·  Additional bathtub safety tips can be found at: https://babysafetyfoundation.org/bathroom-safety 

Make safety a pool-time priority

With 1.6 million residential swimming pools in the Sunshine State and at least 25,000 public pools, the potential for pool-related drownings is significant. Add in the fact that Florida’s warm climate makes swimming a year-round activity, and the exposure is even greater. Consider these pool safety tips from the CDC: 

·  Construct and use a four-sided fence that is at least four feet high and fully encloses the pool. The fence should separate the pool from the house, with self-closing and self-latching gates. Check with your local government for pool fence requirements.

·  Assign a specific adult to supervise each child when they have access to water. Adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading, using the phone, and consuming alcohol.

·  Learn CPR. These skills could save someone's life in the time it takes for paramedics to arrive. Many organizations such as American Red Cross and American Heart Association offer CPR training courses, both online and in-person.

You Can’t Go Overboard When It Comes to Boater Safety

Often dubbed the “boating capital of the world,” Florida is also the most dangerous and leads the nation in boating fatalities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported 685 boating accidents in 2024 resulting in 81 fatalities – 22 more than the previous year. Lack of boater education is a primary concern, with 65% of operators involved in fatal accidents having no formal training. The US Coast Guard offers these safety tips for boaters of all ages: 

·  Take a boater safety education course and become familiar with Florida’s boating laws which can be at myfwc.com/boating/regulations.

· Create a float plan and leave it with a dependable person. To download a float plan form from the FWC go to https://myfwc.com/media/3235/boating_float_plan.pdf.

·  Make sure each passenger wears a Personal Floatation Device (PFD), regardless of age.

·  Carry a fire extinguisher and first aid kit aboard your vessel and have a horn or whistle readily available to help notify nearby help should you need it.

·  Just like when driving a motor vehicle, operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is illegal.

·  You’ll find additional boating safety tips from the FWC at myfwc.com/boating