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The life of a South Florida family changed forever one evening along the intracoastal of New Smyrna Beach. Kerri Morrion, her husband, 3-year-old son, and infant daughter were in town visiting their family for Thanksgiving. Everyone was enjoying the day at the waterfront home overlooking the intracoastal when Morrison heard the panicked words no parent ever wants to hear.
“Where’s Jake?” a family member questioned.
In the short time that Morrison stepped away to nurse her daughter, her son was nowhere to be found. Jake had slipped out an unlocked door and wandered onto the dock where he fell into the dark waters of the intercostal. Jake did not know how to swim and by the time his family found him it was too late.
Tragedies like these are far too common nationwide, especially in Florida, a state surrounded by water. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1-4 years old in the United States. Florida leads the nation with 66 drownings so far this year, according to the state’s Department of Children and Families.
In 2013, Morrison launched the Live Like Jake Foundation to raise awareness about childhood drowning prevention and to help families who have gone through a similar experience with emotional and financial support. Morrison continues to work tirelessly to make sure families know about water safety so they don’t have to go through what she did.
“[Drowning] is preventable and it happens to really good parents,” said Morrison. “It is the number one cause [of childhood deaths], it’s not number ten on the list and it’s not talked about enough. I think if it was, we would see the drownings go down.”
Live Like Jake has provided 3,800 scholarships to self-rescue programs across 41 states. The foundation recently completed the construction on their own pool for swim lessons in Palm Beach Gardens. About 80 children a day attend to learn how to self rescue.
“It only takes 21 seconds for a child to drown, so focusing on them while they’re in the water is a must. Even if a parent thinks their child can swim, without proper supervision accidents happen,” said Morrison.
Shane McCann, aquatics director at the L.A. Lee YMCA, is working with his team to develop swim lesson programs for students of all ages. The YMCA has partnered with grants and foundations to bring swimming lessons to those who need them at a reduced cost or free. McCann says it only takes three to four inches of water to drown and formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 80%.
“I would like to think that with the amount of people we are training and the amount of people we are teaching that these statistics will reverse,” said McCann said.
Florida is working toward reducing drowning incidents across the state through government programs. A new law that went into effect in July aims to reduce drownings in the state. SB 544 gives families access to free swimming lessons through the Department of Health. The swimming lesson voucher program will cover the costs for families making less than 200 percent of the federal poverty levels for their children ages four and under.
Miami-Dade County has also put water safety efforts to the forefront. The county launched the Zero Drownings Initiative to provide swim lessons to kids. The countywide swim safety program will facilitate free swim lessons to 4 and 5-year-old children during the school day. The program also offers family engagement and community education components to ensure a broader understanding of swim safety at home.
“Through education, resources, and heightened awareness, drownings are preventable and we know that teaching children at this young age is preparing them for life,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. “Together we can make our Miami-Dade a place where families can enjoy our beautiful waters without fear, and make zero drownings not just a goal, but a reality.”
