Florida has the highest number of drowning deaths than any other state, with 11,200 fatalities since 2019, averaging 3,733 drowning per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Also alarming is a record-breaking 98 children between the ages of 5-14 in Florida died from drowning in 2021, marking the highest number of child drownings in the state since 2009.
Most kids never learn how to swim, which is why Florida is offering families swimming lesson vouchers to prevent more children from drowning.
Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed SB 544, which compels the Department of Health to create a swimming lesson voucher program to increase water safety at no cost to families with an income of no more than 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold.
Families also must have one or more children four years of age or younger to qualify for the voucher program.
The state legislation, which goes into effect on July 1, outlines how the voucher program will be funded by $500,000.
State Sen. Travis Huston.
State Sen. Travis Huston from St. Johns County sponsored the legislation after his nephew had a near-drowning experience.
“I was fortunate enough to put my kids through the program," Huston said after his bill passed during the legislative session. "Some of those in Florida are less fortunate. They need the help to save lives.”
Hundreds of kids in Key Biscayne go to the beaches or swimming pools to enjoy the water and cool off, especially during spring and summer months.
Lisa Beorlegui, owner of the Key Biscayne swimming school Swim Kids, said teaching kids to swim early in life can prevent tragedy.
Beorlegui suggests parents with pools at home to put a fence around it to prevent kids from jumping in.
A Swim Kids student getting out of the pool by themself.
She also suggests CPR courses to parents in case an emergency arises.
"Swimming is a sport with so many benefits but kids have to start very early," said Beorlegui, who also teaches kids at the Community Center. "But they have to learn certain techniques to survive in the water."
Beorlegui said she teaches kids the dos and don'ts of swimming, including how to jump to avoid injuries, breathing control, getting to the wall, kicking and floating. She said she has about 600 kids signed up for her school.
