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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2.15.26

Professor Rob Brander is an internationally recognized coastal geomorphologist and one of the world’s leading experts on rip currents and beach safety. His research has played a major role in reshaping scientific understanding of rip current behavior and how people respond when caught in them.

Professor Brander is based at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, where he serves in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Toronto and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Sydney.

Key Contributions to Rip Current Science:

• Conducted pioneering field research on rip current dynamics and beach morphology.

• Led groundbreaking studies examining swimmer behavior in rip currents, including interviews with survivors and GPS tracking of swimmers in controlled conditions.

• Helped challenge outdated safety advice by demonstrating that panic and fighting the current increases risk, while floating, conserving energy, and signaling for help often improves survival.

• Collaborated internationally with scientists such as Dr. Jamie H. MacMahan to link physical oceanography with real-world safety outcomes.

Resources

UNSW Beach Safety Research Group www.beachsafetyresearch.com

Personal website www.scienceofthesurf.com

Dr. Rip’s Essential Beach Book International Edition https://cup.columbia.edu/book/dr-rips-essential-beach-book/9780231217408**

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2.19.26

Taishi Otono is a respected leader in ocean safety and lifesaving in Okinawa, Japan, and an emerging international voice in collaborative drowning prevention. Through his work with the Okinawan lifesaving community, Otono has helped strengthen professional guard training, rescue operations, and cross-cultural partnerships aimed at improving coastal safety.

Okinawa shares many similarities with Hawaiʻi—both are island regions with strong ocean cultures, heavy tourism, and complex coastal environments shaped by reef systems, powerful currents, and seasonal weather patterns. Like Hawaiʻi, Okinawa faces the dual challenge of protecting residents while also safeguarding visitors who may have limited ocean experience. Otono’s work focuses on practical, field-based solutions that improve real-world outcomes for lifeguards and the public.

In recent years, Otono has collaborated with ocean safety leaders in Hawaiʻi, including partnerships connected with the Hawaii Lifeguard Association and North Shore ocean safety professionals. These exchanges have included joint training sessions, rescue technique discussions, jet ski deployment strategies, and shared analysis of rip-current response models. His involvement reflects a growing recognition that drowning prevention benefits from international cooperation and shared data.

A key aspect of Otono’s leadership is his emphasis on adaptability. Okinawan beaches, like those in Hawaiʻi, range from protected lagoons to high-energy reef breaks. Guard teams must understand localized hazards, communicate clearly with multilingual visitors, and respond quickly to dynamic surf conditions. Otono has been instrumental in refining operational approaches that integrate traditional lifesaving methods with modern rescue equipment and personal watercraft support.

Beyond operational work, Otono supports public education efforts that improve awareness of rip currents, reef hazards, and safe ocean behavior. By working alongside international experts and local community leaders, he contributes to a broader message: drowning is preventable when science, training, and communication work together.

His collaboration with Hawaiʻi represents more than a professional exchange—it reflects a shared island responsibility. Both Okinawa and Hawaiʻi understand that the ocean is central to culture, recreation, and identity. Through ongoing partnership, Taishi Otono is helping build a stronger, more connected global water safety network—one that prioritizes prevention, preparedness, and respect for the sea.**

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Why aren’t lifeguards first responders? This interview is focusing on a part of aquatic safety that is often overlooked but critically important the psychological impact of critical incidents on lifeguards and aquatic professionals. This conversation is about evidence, responsibility, and the people who protect lives in and around the water and what it takes to protect them in return.

Lifeguards are routinely exposed to high-stress events: rescues, near-drownings, fatalities, and repeated exposure to trauma. Yet unlike many other first-responder professions, the mental health and wellbeing of lifeguards has historically been under-studied and under-resourced.

Three leaders who are working together to change that through research, international collaboration, and practical support systems for lifeguards and aquatic professionals worldwide are part of this important discussion.

Dr. Jaz Lawes is the National Research Manager for Surf Life Saving Australia, with extensive experience in applied research that directly informs frontline lifesaving practice.

Dr. Sam Fien is a Senior Lecturer at CQUniversity Australia, the National Wellbeing Advisor for Surf Life Saving Australia, and the State Lifesaving Officer and Research Panel Chair for Surf Life Saving Queensland. Her work bridges research, policy, and operational wellbeing across lifesaving organizations.

And Tyler Anderson is the President of the International Lifeguard Critical Incident Response Alliance, an organization dedicated to peer support, critical incident stress management, and post-incident care for lifeguards and aquatic professionals.

Together, they are part of a team that created the International Aquatic Personnel Critical Incident Prevalence & Impact Survey a global effort to document, at scale, what lifeguards and allied aquatic professionals experience, how those experiences affect them, and what support systems truly make a difference.

The survey is open through July of 2026 and welcomes participation from adult lifeguards, past or present, as well as allied aquatic professionals including beach, pool, and waterpark leadership who support lifeguards in their work.

If you would like to participate, the survey can be accessed at :https://qr.ilcira.org/CISurvey

And for aquatic leaders interested in learning more about building Peer Support Teams or integrating post-incident Critical Incident Stress Management services into their operations, more information is available by contacting: info@ilcira.org**

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2.14.26: Jamie McMahan, a leading researcher whose work focuses on how people experience and survive rip currents in real-world ocean conditions.

Jamie is a professor of oceanography at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. His research has helped reshape how scientists, lifeguards, and safety professionals understand rip currents not just as physical ocean processes, but as human survival events.

With coastal drowning remaining a critical issue worldwide and here in Hawaiʻi this conversation is especially timely.

We explore what research tells us about how rip currents actually work, why traditional safety messaging sometimes fails in real conditions, and how new, evidence-based approaches can better help both locals and visitors respond effectively when they find themselves caught in a rip current.

Rip-current science is solid. The challenge is human behavior and communication.Effective prevention depends on clear, location-specific messaging, early education, visual demonstration, and close collaboration between scientists and lifeguards.

He has volunteered to meet with guards online to discuss all the technical questions they may have about rip currents.

**

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July 18, 2025 Extra Interview: Margaret talks in studio with Ian Couch, the water safety expert for Worldʻs Toughest Row. The Toughest Row folks were on Kauaʻi receiving teams of rowers who traveled from Monterey, CA to Hanalei Bay. Ian talks about making safety a culture and how athletes take on this grueling and amazing trip.

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