(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi has the second highest resident drowning rate in the nation, according to the State Department of Health.

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related deaths for tourists, as well as the No. 1 cause of death for children (ages 1-15) in Hawaiʻi.

The information was shared ahead of the Hawaiʻi Water Safety Day (May 15th), held in partnership with Hawaiʻi Water Safety Coalition and the YMCA to help raise awareness about water safety and drowning.

“Less than 2% of Hawaiʻi’s second graders have the basic skills to avoid or recover from drowning,” the health department noted. “Almost all (88%) of fatal drowning victims ages 1-15 in Hawaiʻi were residents; most (64%) drowned in swimming pools. These proportions were significantly lower, 52% and 8% respectively, for victims of older ages.”

photo taken near Kumukea Beach in West Hawaiʻi

From the Hawaiʻi health department:

In response to this data, the DOH Emergency Medical Services & Injury Prevention System Branch (EMSIPSB) is developing a statewide child drowning prevention initiative with the goal of reducing or eliminating fatal and nonfatal child drownings in Hawaiʻi. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nonfatal drowning happens when a person survives a drowning incident. The child drowning prevention initiative will include public safety messaging and plans to increase access to water safety and swim lessons via the YMCA and other organizations, with an emphasis on reaching low-income families.

“Every year in Hawaiʻi we lose young children to fatal drownings, and we see many more in our trauma centers and emergency departments,” said Garrett D. Hall, the state trauma program manager and DOH EMSIPSB acting branch chief. “Some children suffer long-term health effects such as brain damage. Toddlers are especially at risk as are children with health conditions. However, drownings are preventable, and our goal is to protect children from drowning in Hawai‘i. We are very fortunate to have Governor Green and state legislators support with this initiative to make a difference and improve community health and safety for our keiki across the islands.”

The department is partnering with the YMCA on its “Phones Down, Eyes Up™” campaign that encourages parents and caregivers to designate a “water watcher” — “an adult who stays focused and free from distractions like phones, conversations, or alcohol who can maintain constant visual contact with all children in or near the water.”

Officials say the public can help protect their loved ones in various ways:

• Designate a “water watcher” during swimming activities and during pool or beach parties.
• Families with pools should install barriers, including four-sided fencing with latching gates and alarms on windows, doors, gates and in pools.
• Empty wading pools after every use.
• Parents and caregivers should learn CPR in case of an emergency. The American Red Cross offers a free online class on Water Safety for Parents and Caregivers as well as fee-based CPR classes.
• Enroll children in swim lessons that include water safety skills. Lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% and should be combined with other protective factors.
• Go to lifeguarded beaches and pay attention to signs and ocean conditions.
• Wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) while aboard a vessel operating or anchored offshore, including on SUPs and kayaks. PFDs are required for children 12 years and under.

The Hawaiʻi Water Safety Coalition’s 2025 Hawaiʻi Water Safety Plan: I Palekana Kakou Ma Ka Wai (Let Us Be Safe in the Water), also provides “a roadmap to ensure that everyone in Hawaiʻi is safe in, on, or around the water.”

Hawaiʻi Water Safety Day was established in 2024, when Hawaiʻi Governor Josh Green, M.D., signed Senate Bill 2841 into law.