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New legislation would require NYC to gather data on drownings
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 13, 2023
Modified Jul 13, 2023
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Deccio Serrano/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 13, 2023
Modified Jul 13, 2023
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New York City would have to generate a yearly report on drownings under a new City Council bill introduced Thursday.
If passed, the legislation would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to compile an annual report with information of each fatal drowning incident in the city— including the location, circumstances and demographics. The legislation aims to help the administration identify areas or trends of concern when it comes to drownings.
Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, whose district includes the water-surrounded neighborhood of Far Rockaway, introduced the bill. She said she identified a need for action while preparing for a hearing discussing a previous bill she wrote regarding water safety. She said that advocates who were testifying wanted to be able to use numbers when they spoke, and the data wasn’t publicly available.
"While we all recognize the severity and impact and frequency of the drownings that are happening in communities like the one I represent, there was a need to have more solid numbers,” Brooks-Powers told Gothamist. “So the hope is that through this bill, we'll be able to gather data on drowning citywide. And this can really help tell the story as to where the majority of drownings are taking place, what the circumstances are, the demographics of each fatal drowning incident may have been."
Powers said that understanding where, why and how drownings happen will help the city prioritize areas it should invest in when it comes to certain initiatives like swim programming.
The DOH would work with the city medical examiner and any other relevant agency on the report, which would be submitted to the mayor, the speaker of the Council, and posted on its website.
Among other information collected, the report would include possible reasons for the incident, such as inappropriate supervision, environment, hyperventilation, effects of drugs, alcohol, or medication, etc.
The bill comes after a 14-year-old boy drowned near Beach 76th Street earlier this month. The start of beach and pool season kicked off last month in New York City, with Parks Department officials still grappling with an ongoing lifeguard shortage affecting swimming activities nationwide.
Making swimming more safe and accessible for New Yorkers has been a focus area for Brooks-Powers, whose district includes water-surrounded Far Rockaway. She previously introduced another bill that would require the city to find locations for new public swimming pools after two other boys drowned in her district earlier this year.
This story has been updated with additional comment from Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers.
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Catalina Gonella
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