South Shore hospital urges Suffolk families to treat water safety as constant

South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore is warning Suffolk families to treat water safety as a constant, not a seasonal reminder, as summer swim crowds fill beaches, pools and backyard gatherings across the South Shore. The hospital’s trauma team is warning that drownings often begin with ordinary mistakes: a lapse in supervision, a missing life jacket or the assumption that another adult is already watching the child.

Suffolk County launched its first-ever Drowning Prevention Action Plan in 2025 after local health and safety leaders flagged a rise in drownings, and Stony Brook materials tied to that effort put drowning fatalities in Suffolk County up 60 percent from 2023 to 2024. Suffolk County government says about one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger, and among children ages 1 to 4, most drown in home swimming pools. The CDC identifies drowning as a leading cause of death in that age group.

Suffolk County EMS responded to 116 drowning calls in 2025, and by July 22 had already handled more than 50 drowning calls in 2026, including five deaths and a child. Hospital staff are emphasizing habits that can interrupt an emergency before it turns fatal: keep children within arm’s reach near any body of water, use properly fitted life jackets when appropriate, and never rely on a casual glance from the picnic table or beach chair while adults talk or grill. Around home pools, barriers and alarms can help because young children can slip out of sight fast, especially during backyard parties when doors are open and responsibility gets diffuse.

Suffolk prevention efforts also stress CPR, alcohol-free watching and bright swimwear that makes a child easier to spot in water. If someone is pulled from the water unresponsive or struggling to breathe, the first move is to call 911 immediately.