To stop Suffolk drownings, water safety alliance creates action plan to educate public

Alarmed by the increase in the number of drownings in Suffolk County in one year, an alliance on water safety has drawn up the first "action plan" to educate the public to reduce these "preventable" deaths, officials said.

"New York State has the fourth-highest drowning statistic across the U.S., and Suffolk County was identified as having a 60% increase in drownings from 2023 to 2024," said Jamie Ryan, a certified pediatric nurse and injury prevention professional for the pediatric trauma center at Stony Brook Children's Hospital.

The action plan was completed by water safety nonprofits, Stony Brook Medicine, community groups and governmental entities.

Suffolk had 24 fatal drownings in 2024, compared with 15 the year before, according to the "Suffolk County, New York Drowning Prevention Action Plan," which was released this week. The state had 84 drownings in 2024, according to the plan.

"Since 2024, Suffolk County accounts for 70% of all fatal drownings in swimming pools in New York State," the plan says.

The plan also cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics that said drowning was the leading cause of unintentional deaths among children ages 1-4, and that 9 out of 10 of them die in residential pools "with a caregiver present."

Ryan said Stony Brook was approached by the ZAC Foundation to create a drowning prevention alliance "because Suffolk was identified as having the greatest need."

Karen Cohn, co-founder of the nonprofit Greenwich, Connecticut-based ZAC Foundation, said in an interview Friday that foundation officials "were following the statistics, and we saw the spike in drownings" in the United States overall and then looked at "particular areas," leading them to target Suffolk.

Cohn said the foundation was formed with her husband, Brian, in 2008 after their 6-year-old son, Zachary Archer Cohn, died in a pool drain entrapment in their backyard swimming pool. 

"I thought as a mom I did everything I was supposed to do," Cohn said, "and yet we had no idea of drain entrapment ... We had no idea that there were these dangers." 

Cohn said the roundtable discussion with stakeholders at Stony Brook University Hospital on July 1 was an important step. "What’s always important is to involve hospitals, school administrators, swim schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, always including first responders ... It’s important to bring everyone together" to devise solutions. 

Bobby Hazen, executive director of the nonprofit Stop Drowning Now, part of the alliance, said, "We know this plan can and will help reduce drownings across the county. We’re hoping the message starts to spread."

Although the organization he works for is in California, Hazen said, he lives in Shirley, so it's a "personal situation for me, because I care so much about trying to save lives of these kids we lose every year."

Hazen also praised the support of government officials.

Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine said in a statement: "Suffolk County is proud to be working with this group of professionals to educate the public on the importance of water safety education. This work will definitely save lives and we’re looking forward to making that impact in the community." 

"Drowning is 100% preventable," Hazen said. "People say 'I took my eyes away for a few seconds.' That’s all it takes."

By Olivia Winslow

olivia.winslow@newsday.com@newsollie