Karen Cohn Urges Action on Drowning Prevention Crisis in Op-Ed

Karen Cohn, Co-Founder of The ZAC Foundation authored a piece for The Daily News, an urgent call to action to prioritize safety amid devastating federal cuts to water safety programs.

A Growing Crisis

Over 4,000 individuals in the U.S. drown annually, with rates rising. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14. 

Yet the Department of Health and Human Services eliminated the entire Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team responsible for tracking and publicizing national drowning trends—slashing staff from 130 to 12 and ending critical partnerships with organizations like the YMCA and Red Cross.

Building Solutions Together

Despite federal retreat, The ZAC Foundation presses forward. The Cohns helped create the first U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan in 2023 and are continuing work to build state and regional coalitions nationwide. Three states have launched water safety plans—California, Hawaii, and New Jersey—with more in development.

“Zachary’s life was precious,” Cohn concludes. “It’s time for federal funding to reflect this urgent need.” Read the full opinion piece in The Daily News