State officials are urging Floridians to emphasize safety while swimming this summer, as dozens of children have already drowned in 2024.
“So far this year, 46 children have tragically lost their lives due to drowning,” Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez said during a press event Wednesday. "Drowning is preventable, and it is also the No. 1 cause of unintentional death of children ages 1 to 4."
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WATCH HEREThe majority of the 46 drowning deaths have happened in swimming pools, according to the governor’s office.
In all of 2023, 99 children drowned, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families.
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Officials encouraged swimming lessons and for people to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to give first aid. They also said people should check weather conditions and rip tides before swimming.
In Broward County, a 9-year-old girl nearly lost her life when she went under in a Lauderhill pool and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition last month.
And on Monday, a homeowner called 911 to report that an 8-year-old boy he did not know was "floating" in his backyard pool in Fort Lauderdale. The boy, identified as Ryan Amichette, had drowned, police said.
The news event came as a new law creating a swimming-lesson voucher program is set to take effect July 1.
The law, SB 544, passed during this year’s legislative session, requires the state Department of Health to establish a network of swimming-lesson providers to participate in the program.
Vouchers will cover costs of lessons for families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which, for instance, would be $60,000 for a family of four.
To be eligible, families will need to have one or more children 4 years old or younger.
