Drowning kills more children than any other cause and, in just one week in Florida it’s exacted a heartbreaking toll: two sisters, ages 5 and 8, in Pensacola, a 1-year-old boy in Jacksonville, and a 2-year-old boy in Fort Pierce.
Each of these tragedies happened in a place that should be filled with the sounds of young laughter and hijinks—in swimming pools.
The abundance of pools in Florida, along with canals, retention ponds, and unparalleled miles of coastline, are undoubtedly among the reasons that only two other states have higher rates of drowning deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only Louisiana and Montana had more, according to a study of data collected between 2018 and 2021.
Which state has the highest number of drownings?
Florida has the most drownings in recent years, according to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and is fourth in the nation in drowning rates (Alaska is first)…