The Louisiana Department of Health is urging residents to prioritize water safety as summer approaches, reminding families that strong safety practices can help prevent drownings and serious water-related injuries, particularly among children.
The reminder comes as Gov. Jeff Landry has proclaimed May as Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund Swim Safety Month.
According to recent data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the fourth leading cause of injury-related deaths among children ages 0 to 14 in Louisiana.
LDH officials said most drownings are preventable and often happen quickly and quietly. Between 2022 and 2024, 55 children drowned in Louisiana, according to the LDH Office of Public Health. More than half of those children were unsupervised, and 42 percent drowned in water areas without proper protective barriers. Most incidents occurred in swimming pools.
An additional 54 children were hospitalized due to nonfatal drownings or near-drownings, which health officials say can lead to lifelong disabilities and permanent developmental impacts.
State health officials are encouraging parents and caregivers to actively supervise children whenever they are near water, keep young children within arm’s reach and never leave children unattended around pools, lakes or other bodies of water.
The department also recommends enrolling children in swim lessons at an early age, installing protective barriers and self-latching gates around pools, ensuring pools and spas have compliant drain covers and teaching children to avoid pool drains.
Officials say extra caution should be used in open water environments such as lakes and beaches, where conditions can include low visibility, changing depths, currents and underwater hazards.
Families are also encouraged to use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets during boating and water recreation activities, avoid alcohol while swimming or supervising children and learn CPR and basic rescue skills in case of emergencies.
Additional water safety information, swim lesson resources and CPR class information are available through the Louisiana Department of Health.