Hawaii's first Water Safety Plan addresses keiki drowning prevention
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Drowning is the number one cause of death for Hawaii keiki ages one to 15 and now, the state of Hawaii is taking steps toward prevention.The first Hawaii Water Safety Plan, 'I Palekana Kākou Ka Wai: Let Us Be Safe in the Water,' was released by the Hawaii Water Safety Coalition.
HWSC introduced the measure to call on stakeholders to help identify the state's most urgent drowning prevention recommendations.
Death by negligence? Family sues after teen swimmer's tragedy
'Drownings are preventable with constant adult supervision in and around the water, including at home. Our goal is to protect children from drowning in Hawai'i,' said Dr. Pat Morgan, Child Death Review in Hawaii member and Kapiolani Child Advocacy and Protection medical director.
The Water Safety Plan outlined the following drowning statistics:
Hawaii resident drowning rate is the second highest in the nation behind Alaska
Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are about 27 percent of Hawaii's population yet to make up 36 percent of resident drowning deaths
Less than two percent of Hawaii second graders have basic skills to avoid or recover from drowning
Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for Hawaii visitors
Several measures are being introduced during the 2025 legislative session including requiring swim education at public schools and better regulation around ponds.
'It seems to us that it's a common sensical desire to put this in DOE's curriculum but that comes at an expense. DOE is set up to educate our kids, prepare them for potentially a life in college, and swimming some might say is not part of their mission,' said Glenn Wakai, Senate majority floor leader.
Hawaii Safety Plan's lead writer Allison Schaefers is also a bereaved parent after her daughter drowned in 2004 in a detention pond.
Check out more news from around Hawaii
'What inspired me to keep going was her. I kept thinking if a five-year-old can be a hero, that we could all be heroes,' Schaefer said. 'I do not want any of Hawaii's children to ever go through that again and so that's my inspiration.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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