Florida Tops Nation in Child Drownings Under 9, Treasure Coast Pushes Prevention

Florida recorded the highest unintentional drowning death rate in the nation among children from birth to age 9 in 2022, a grim distinction that carries particular weight for Treasure Coast families who live alongside the Indian River Lagoon, the St. Lucie River, and miles of Atlantic coastline.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second-leading cause for ages 5 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Florida, advocates say geography makes the risk even more acute: nearly every community borders a pool, canal, lake, or tidal waterway.

A new statewide awareness campaign is drawing attention to those numbers. The Zero Drownings Miami-Dade initiative, launched in 2024 by The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the American Red Cross, United Way Miami, and the Edu Foundation, aims to provide free swim instruction to children ages four through seven. The program uses an American Red Cross-certified curriculum delivered at county, municipal, and private pools during coordinated school-day field trips. Since its launch, the program has served more than 4,300 children across 113 schools and preschools, delivering nearly 31,300 swim lessons, according to The Children's Trust.

Olga Londoño founded the initiative in part through the Edu Foundation after her 15-month-old son Eduardo died by drowning in 2021. Londoño established the foundation to provide free swimming and water-safety education to children who lack access to it.

Public health officials consistently identify three barriers that keep families from swim instruction: cost, transportation, and a lack of awareness about water safety. The Zero Drownings program addresses all three, offering 10 free 30-minute lessons per child and a free online water safety course available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole at ZeroDrowningsMiamiDade.org.

Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River county health departments have not announced a formal partnership with the Zero Drownings initiative, but local parents can contact the Florida Department of Health offices in each county to ask about swim safety resources available in their communities.

Families in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties seeking water safety programs can contact the Florida Department of Health in Martin County at (772) 221-4000, St. Lucie County at (772) 462-3800, or Indian River County at (772) 794-7400. The American Red Cross also offers swim safety resources at redcross.org. As summer approaches, health officials urge parents to enroll children in swim instruction early, as community pool programs fill quickly.

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