Suffolk County Experts Come Together to Address Alarming Rise in Drownings

The ZAC Foundation’s Co-Founder Karen Cohn joined leading experts, advocates, and affected families at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital on Long Island on July 1, 2025 for a crucial drowning prevention roundtable aimed at addressing Suffolk County’s alarming 60% increase in drownings from 2023 to 2024.

Suffolk County’s Strategic Prevention Planning

Participants reviewed, discussed, and provided feedback on potential prevention strategies focused on five key areas: improving data and understanding of drowning risks, expanding public education and awareness, promoting pool safety among residents, strengthening the lifeguard workforce, and enhancing advocacy and community outreach.

“This action plan isn’t just about statistics—it’s about protecting children and equipping families with the tools and resources needed to ensure their loved ones are safe in and around water,” Karen emphasized during the roundtable discussion.

Moving Forward

The goal is to launch Suffolk County’s first-ever drowning prevention action plan in July 2025, with participants exploring how best to implement coordinated prevention efforts. As experts noted, many of the county’s recent drownings involved young children in backyard pools, making community-level prevention strategies essential.

Read more about The ZAC Foundation’s participation in the round table on Newsday.