Osceola County Swim Safety Campaign Takes Action to Reduce Rising Drowning Rates

With its white-sand beaches, crystal-clear springs and rivers, and world-famous theme parks and resort pools, Central Florida and Osceola County offer a wealth of opportunities for water sports. However, this abundance of water has also led to a disturbing increase in drowning accidents in recent years, especially among children.

Drowning in children

According to the Florida Department of Health, from 2017 to 2019, Florida led the United States in the rate of deaths from accidental drowning among children ages 1 to 4 (6.29 per 100,000 residents). Compared to other states, Florida also had the highest rate of deaths from accidental drowning among children ages 0 to 9, at 3.28 per 100,000 residents.

This entirely preventable tragedy resulted in more than 90 emergency calls from our department in 2021 alone, a record number. More than 80 of those involved children, and the majority involved children visiting Osceola County from other parts of the state, country, or out of state.

#SwimSafelyOsceola initiative

To address this critical issue, #SwimSafelyOsceola was developed to allow local businesses to benefit from displaying swim safety messages on their outdoor signs, reminding visitors of the importance of keeping their families safe. Commissioner Ricky Booth and the Osceola County Fire Department are spearheading this initiative.

“We continually strive to educate and empower our community on the importance of swimming safety,” said Commissioner Booth. “By being proactive and raising awareness, we can hopefully prevent drowning accidents and save lives before a tragedy occurs.”

The ABC of swimming safety

A stands for ADULT SUPERVISION

All children should be supervised by a sober adult when near water. Teens or older children should never be the only ones responsible for the safety of younger children near pools or other bodies of water. Supervising adults should be able to pull children out of the water in an emergency and call a lifeguard or 911 if necessary.

B stands for BARRIERS

Door locks, pool fences and audible pool alarms can be a nuisance to have to open and replace every time you want to swim in your backyard pool, but they are there to keep you safe. Children should be taught to respect these barriers and the pool area should be secured every time you finish swimming.

C stands for CLASSES

Because there are so many swimming opportunities in Osceola County, swimming lessons are almost a must for everyone, no matter what age. Lessons are available from the following providers:

• Makinson Aquatic Center, 2204 Denn John Ln, Kissimmee, FL 34744 (temporarily closed)
• Chris Lyle Aquatic Center, 2991 17th St, St. Cloud, FL 34769
• Mary Jane Arrington Fitness Center & Aquatic Center, 625 Country Club Dr, Poinciana, FL 34758
• Various YMCA locations
• Privately via groups or companies

By following these guidelines and raising awareness, Osceola County aims to ensure a safer swimming experience for everyone and significantly reduce the number of drowning accidents.