Drowning Statistics

There are over 7,400 public swimming pools and 1,300 public bathing beaches operated in New York State. Millions of patrons visit these bathing facilities each year. The Historical Drowning Data report summarizes the data collected from drowning investigations conducted at these bathing facilities since 1987.

Bathing facilities are operated by state agencies and municipalities or are located at hotels/motels, campgrounds, apartment complexes, health clubs and children's camps. Except for pools and beaches that are operated by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation (which oversee their own pools and beaches), local health departments conduct inspections at all public facilities to protect bathers.

Pool and beach owners/operators are required to report incidents that occur at a bathing facility which:

  1. result in death;
  2. require resuscitation;
  3. require referral to a hospital or other facility for medical attention; or
  4. is a bather illness associated with bathing water quality.

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation also report incidents to the State Health Department.

The State Health Department maintains a database of incidents and analyzes the data to determine the factors contributing to injury and illness in an effort to prevent similar events. The following information summarizes the data collected from investigations of fatal drownings conducted since 1987. All of the incidents described in this report occurred at public bathing facilities during the hours that the facility was open to the public.