City Council Honors Drowning Victims
As another beach season is behind us, on the morning of Friday, September 20, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams joined Councilwomen Selvena Brooks-Power and Joann Ariola and others on the Rockaway boardwalk to hold a vigil for those who died in drownings on local beaches this summer, and to call for action for more to be done to prevent it.
Ahead of the City Council’s Parks Committee hearing on Tuesday, September 24, to come up with solutions to prevent future drownings at city pools and beaches, advocates remembered the fallen at Friday’s vigil. Seven people drowned at beaches across the city this summer, the most since 2019, and many from communities that lack access to public pools.
“The death of seven New Yorkers this summer to drownings is a tragic reminder of the need for our City to prioritize comprehensive water safety education for all,” Speaker Adrienne Adams said. “Water safety is a matter of life-and-death. In addition to more lifeguards and free swimming classes, we must educate New Yorkers on how to spot danger in our volatile and unpredictable waters so that we can protect ourselves.”
“The Rockaways and other coastal communities across New York City are beloved summer destinations, but they also present very real dangers,” Brooks-Powers said. “The heartbreaking loss of lives, particularly young lives, reminds us of the urgency of addressing the issue of swim safety head-on. The New York City Council is committed to swimming access and equity through initiatives like Local Law 132, a bill I introduced which improves access to pools particularly for communities without that infrastructure in place. I stand with the families who have tragically lost their loved ones this year to drownings and honor the memories of those we’ve lost by ensuring their stories lead to meaningful change.”
