Private and public partners hold press conference to launch Zero Drownings Miami-Dade Initiative

On Tuesday, July 9th, a collaborative group of Miami-Dade County’s top public and private sector organizations held a news conference at Marva Y. Bannerman Park Pool in Brownsville to unveil the Zero Drownings Miami-Dade initiative, a large-scale swim safety program aimed at teaching four-year-old children enrolled in public and private early learning centers and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) kindergarteners essential water safety lessons.

Drownings have become the leading cause of death in Miami-Dade County for children ages one to nine, but studies show that participation in formal swim lessons can reduce that risk by 88%.

Zero Drownings Miami-Dade is a comprehensive and collaborative effort between The Children’s Trust, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the American Red Cross - South Florida Region, The Miami Foundation, United Way Miami, Edu Foundation, and the Templeton Family Foundation to reduce and ultimately prevent childhood drownings by providing swim lessons for young children, water safety education for families, and a communitywide water safety campaign. Both public and private funding is supporting the initiative.

The countywide swim safety program will facilitate free swim lessons, using American Red Cross-certified curriculum, for cohorts of four and five-year-olds during the school day at public or private water safety swim provider locations. Participating children will come from the County’s Head Start program, The Children’s Trust-funded Thrive by 5 private childcare centers in high-poverty neighborhoods, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools kindergarten classrooms. Each participating program and classroom will be pre-selected by M-DCPS, The Children’s Trust, and County staff. There is no general registration for this program.

The children will be transported to the nearest participating swim provider as a daily school field trip over the course of two weeks. Each student will be offered 10, 30-minute, group swim lessons with a maximum instructor-to-student ratio of one to six.

The program also includes a water safety curriculum to teach them to be smart in and around water, and a digital water safety course for their families. Providing free transportation and facilitating the free program during school hours ensures access to open and available facilities and increases the likelihood of children completing the program.

Under this initiative, an Office of Drowning Prevention was created and is housed at Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department. The office will serve as a logistics hub for coordinating the evidence-based Zero Drownings Miami-Dade program.

The program is scaling up quickly over the next three years. A total of 4,000 children are expected to complete the program in the 2024-2025 school year, 10,000 children in the 2025-2026 school year, and 20,000 children in 2026-2027. The intent is to reach a minimum of 20,000 children each year following, in perpetuity.

The initiative will also offer family engagement and community education components to ensure a broader understanding of swim safety within the children’s homes and in their communities. It is a long-term, sustainable, multi-component drowning prevention and water education program for young children and their families across the county.

“Through education, resources, and heightened awareness, drownings are preventable, and we know that teaching children at this young age is preparing them for life,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “This vital program is a testament to our community’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our children. 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.”

“I am extremely proud to be part of this initiative,” said Miami-Dade County District 3 Commissioner Keon Hardemon. “We as community leaders needed to come together to create a uniform program that would reach some of our youngest and most vulnerable children, who may not otherwise have the means, or the opportunity to attend a learn-to-swim program. Zero Drownings Miami-Dade is that program.”

“Collaborating with partners to help children learn to swim is a vital initiative that can save lives and foster confidence,” said Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Dotres. “Together we can create a positive change, ensuring that more children gain access to swim lessons and the confidence that comes with being skilled swimmers.”

"The Children's Trust is proud to be a leader and primary funder of the Zero Drownings Miami-Dade initiative. Together, we are building a game-changing program to make generations of children safer when around pools and other bodies of water," says The Children's Trust President & CEO James R. Haj.

“For more than 100 years, the Red Cross has helped millions of children and adults learn how to swim, become lifeguards and swim instructors so the water can be a safer place for everyone,” said American Red Cross Greater Miami & The Keys Executive Director, Deborah Koch. “We are proud to be part of Zero Drownings Miami-Dade as the lead for education materials and swim safety certifications for students, families, educators, participating water safety instructors and pool safety personnel.”

"At The Miami Foundation, we envision a Greater Miami where safety and thriving go hand in hand. Protecting our children through essential swim lessons is not just a step towards preventing drownings—it's a step towards ensuring every member of our community can flourish. True progress demands bold, collective action, and we are honored to support Miami-Dade County Public Schools, The Children’s Trust, Miami-Dade County, the American Red Cross, Edu Foundation, Templeton Family Foundation, and United Way Miami in this transformational initiative. Together, we can build a safer, more vibrant Miami for all."

"Through this partnership, United Way Miami is addressing the significant local swimming disparity. Reports show that 70% of Black, 60% of Hispanic, and 40% of White children are unable to swim. Every child, regardless of background, deserves access to water safety training," said Symeria Hudson, President and CEO of United Way Miami. "The Zero Drownings Initiative aligns perfectly with United Way Miami's mission, and we are proud to help make this life-saving skill accessible to our community."

For more information, please visit www.zerodrowningsmiamidade.org and contact the following agencies:

Miami-Dade County - Julienne Gage at [email protected] 

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) - Elmo R. Lugo at [email protected] 

The Children’s Trust - Natalia Zea at natalia@thechildrenstrust 

For B-roll and images from the pilot program of the initiative click here.