Suffolk County officials highlight importance of water safety after 60% increase in drownings

Drownings in Suffolk County increased 60% from 2023 to 2024, leading officials and safety experts on Wednesday to highlight the importance of water safety and awareness as summer arrives.

At a news conference at Phelps Lane Pool in North Babylon, officials stressed the importance of proper supervision, whether at a beach or pool, and how it takes multiple layers of protection to keep everyone safe. 

Officials said 24 drownings occurred in Suffolk in 2024, according to the county medical examiner, compared with 15 the prior year.

"One is one too many, but 24 we're very concerned," said Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, who described the number as "rather high."

It can be critical for children to learn how to swim, and for those who can swim, learning first aid like CPR is also important, officials said.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14. 

Adults, however, face risk as well and 58 of the 84 drownings statewide in New York in 2024 were adults, according to data provided by Stop Drowning Now, a nationwide organization that aims to decrease drownings through education.

Bobby Hazen, executive director of Stop Drowning Now, displayed a tag attached to a lanyard that people can wear identifying themselves as the designated "water watcher." The idea is to always assign responsibility to at least one person to monitor the water.

More than 80% of drownings in backyard pools occur in a situation where there is an adult present, he said, but not necessarily supervising properly.

Most deaths occur in backyard pools, said Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott, who reiterated the need for proper supervision.

Hazen added that drownings spiked 28% since the pandemic as people added pools and "wanted something to do with their kids."

Newsday previously reported that New York in 2021 set a record with more than 230 drownings.

A drowning can occur within a matter of seconds, Hazen said.

"If a child falls in and doesn’t instinctively know what to do or how to react in a positive way, they’re going to take water in their lungs. Now they’re going to go underwater silent," he said. "You’re not going to hear it. It’s not like you see on TV."

Richard Specht, co-founder and executive director of the The ReesSpecht Life Foundation, shared how his son Rees Specht died in 2012 at 22 months old due to an accidental drowning.

"Supervision alone is not enough," he said. "Supervision breaks down. ... So we need those other layers of protection."

The organization teaches people to "Think: S.P.L.A.S.H.," he said. The acronym stands for swim lessons, put away toys and put up ladder, life jackets, adult always watching, shut all gates and how to rescue.

"It's the multiple layers together that make a difference," he said.

Eva Rodriguez, parks commissioner for Babylon Town, said it’s important to "break the fear of the water first" with young kids, so beginning lessons at a young age is key.

"We start swim lessons with infants, and we go all the way through adults, because it's never too late to learn how to swim," she said.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister joined Newsday in 2022 and covers Suffolk County government and politics. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

---