Resident not just visitors account for nearly half of ocean drownings in Hawaiʻi, about 49 percent, challenging one of the most common assumptions about who is at risk. Even more sobering: drowning remains the leading cause of death for Hawaiʻi’s children ages 1 to 15.

Allison Schaefers, a journalist with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and a key member of the Hawaiʻi Water Safety Coalition, is helping change that reality.

Her work sits at the intersection of public awareness, policy, and prevention treating drowning not as an accident, but as a preventable public health issue. But what makes her voice especially powerful is that it is grounded in lived experience.

At the heart of her story is the loss of her daughter in a 2004 drowning.

From that unimaginable tragedy came purpose fueling advocacy that contributed to Sharkey’s Law, which will require fencing, signage, and ring buoys at detention ponds beginning in 2027.

Schaefers has also played a central role in advancing the 2025 Hawaiʻi Water Safety Plan, a coordinated effort to reduce drowning statewide. The plan is designed to be accessible written at a sixth grade reading level and built for real-world use by families, schools, and community leaders.

The data behind the plan is clear: Hawaiʻi continues to face high drowning rates, with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities disproportionately impacted. At the same time, research shows that water skill retention among young children especially by second grade is alarmingly low.

In response, the coalition is moving forward on multiple fronts: county-wide pond safety surveys, community hotspot stewardship, pilot swim programs through the Department of Education, and a new Department of Health campaign supported by the CDC Foundation.

Looking ahead, working groups are forming, and a statewide coalition conference on May 14 will help align efforts across agencies and communities.

The conversation also highlighted proven strategies from water competency and loaner life jacket programs to reservoir safety inspections and even tourism-based geofencing while acknowledging critical gaps, including the need for better data on non-fatal drownings.

The goal is clear: scale what works, share tools and training, and build a coordinated system of prevention across Hawaiʻi.

That work is already gaining recognition. The 2025 Hawaiʻi Water Safety Plan has been presented at the Safe Kids Worldwide conference and received national recognition for its approach.

This is what prevention looks like when policy, community, and lived experience come together.

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Dr Laura Trapani

The Safety Risks of Full-Face Snorkeling Masks, particularly for Children

This interview is based on research presented by Dr. Laura Trapani a pediatrician and clinical researcher affiliated with the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo children’s Hospital and the University of Trieste in Italy. Where her work is helping to reshape how we think about child safety in the water. Full-Face Snorkeling Masks Carry a Risk of Hypercapnia and Drowning in Younger Children: A Case Series 2025.

Dr. Trapani’s research has gotten the attention of the Italian Ministry who are in the process of developing questions to submit to full face mask manufacturers. She also noted that many physicians across Italy have contacted her to provide data and work on this issue. She said it would be great if countries would support this effort with her.

The discussion emphasized physiology, real-world case studies, and the need for improved safety standards and public awareness. Key Findings:

1. Primary Risk: Hypercapnia & Hypoxia Full-face snorkel masks can cause carbon dioxide (CO₂) buildup and reduced oxygen levels.

Risk is determined by weight and lung capacity, not age • Children have limited breathing capacity (~7–10 ml/kg) • Example: o 20 kg child → ~200 ml air capacity o Mask volume → ~250 ml or more • Result: Rebreathing CO₂, leading to potential unconsciousness .

2. Mechanical & Design Risks • Masks are complex respiratory devices, not toys • Multiple valves and chambers can malfunction • Dead air space can increase up to 1.5 liters if compromised • External factors (saltwater, sand, heat) can degrade performance.

3. Silent Drowning • Victims may not show distress signals • Gradual slowing, confusion, then unconsciousness • Applies to both children and adults.

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“Drowning Isn’t Inevitable It is Preventable.” - Dr. Colleen Saunders

Dr. Colleen Saunders is a leading researcher in drowning prevention whose work is helping to reshape how we understand water safety on a global scale.

Her journey into this field didn’t begin in a laboratory it began in the ocean. She spent nearly two decades as a voluntary lifeguard at Big Bay in Cape Town, where lifesaving became part of who she is. What started as a passion and a commitment to protecting others in the water would eventually evolve into a powerful research career.

After completing her PhD, she found herself searching for direction and began analyzing drowning incidents and media reports for Life Saving South Africa. What she uncovered was striking there was very little research focused on drowning and prevention in South Africa. That realization changed the course of her work.

Today, Dr. Saunders operates at the intersection of research, policy, and real-world prevention—bringing visibility to one of the most overlooked public health challenges in the world. We start with a conversation from her current paper in the African Journal of Emerging Medicine Leave No One Behind

This conversation reinforced the central mission: drowning is not a random accident but a preventable public health issue shaped by systems, access, and equity. A key takeaway for your work in Hawaii is that incomplete data should not delay action—while drowning is undercounted globally (especially non-fatal and flood-related cases), policymakers can still move forward using what is known. The discussion strongly validated your focus on disparities, particularly among Indigenous and underserved populations, highlighting that access to swim education, safe environments, and water familiarity are major drivers of risk.

On prevention, the most important insight was the concept of layers of protection —supervision alone is not enough. Effective strategies combine barriers (like fences), restricted access, environmental safety, and early water competency. You also explored how drowning risk extends beyond beaches and pools to homes, infrastructure, and flooding, reinforcing your broader messaging approach. Finally, the conversation strengthened your policy angle: drowning has a high economic cost due to its impact on young people, and even small investments in prevention can yield significant returns. The unifying message that emerged—one you’re already championing—is clear: drowning is preventable with the right systems in place.

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