Central Florida leaders call for layered water-safety measures as child drownings rise

Community leaders and public‑safety officials gathered at the Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida on May 6 to press for layered water‑safety measures after public health data and local responders showed a persistent rise in child drownings.

Brent Moore, executive director of the Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida, opened the fourteenth annual water‑safety event and emphasized that prevention requires “partners, agencies, and supporters” working together. Multiple speakers framed the problem as preventable and urged concrete steps: designate an adult “water watcher,” install physical barriers and door alarms, enroll children in swim lessons, and maintain CPR certification.

“Drowning is something that is horrific,” said Dr. Jenna Wheeler of Orlando Health and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, who described pediatric admissions she said resulted from drownings and called for broader CPR and swim‑lesson access. Sheriff John Mina said Orange County deputies responded to about 40 drownings last year, five of which were fatal and all under age 7; he said deputies had already responded to seven drownings this year, two of which were fatal.

Public‑health officials and first‑responder leaders highlighted specific local resources. “Have a water watcher,” said Dr. Salman Trejo of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, and urged pool owners to use barriers, lock pool doors, and supervise bath time. William Farhad, a division chief with Orange County Fire Rescue, described the agency’s free door‑alarm installation program and directed residents to ocfl.net/dooralarms or 311 to schedule installs.

Orlando Fire Department District Chief Jackie Pollock gave a firsthand account of pulling an unresponsive child from a crowded resort pool and credited bystanders, timely CPR and subsequent professional care for the child’s recovery. Pollock said the city’s fire stations have surface‑water rescue training and an average response time of about six minutes, but she stressed that bystander action often makes the crucial difference.

Community groups reiterated the role of swim lessons and outreach. “Swim lessons should be the absolute first sport that any parent should sign their child up for,” said Casey McGovern, executive director of Every Child a Swimmer, which provides three months of scholarship swim lessons for low‑income families.

Organizers pointed attendees to state and national prevention resources, including watersmartflorida.com and guidance from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. The event closed with a call to prioritize layered protections — supervision, barriers, and training — before the summer pool season.

The event did not include formal votes or regulatory changes; several speakers said legislative or programmatic work is ongoing at the state level to expand swim‑voucher access and education.