Honolulu-Governor David Igg declared August 22-28 as Hawaii Beach Safety Week. This week’s highlights will include lifeguard rescue demonstrations in Honolulu City and County in Waikiki, testimony from a survivor on the island of Hawaii with an ocean-related spinal cord injury, and public rescue operations with lifeguards on Maui at Kahului Airport. briefing. Due to COVID-19 safety measures, the annual Marine Safety Conference and Jr. Lifeguard Championship have been cancelled.

According to the Hawaii Department of Health, drowning in the ocean is the leading cause of death among tourists in Hawaii and the sixth leading cause of residents. From 2015 to 2019, an average of 80 people died from drowning in the ocean each year in Hawaii. Visitors accounted for a slight majority (57%, 45 deaths). After Hawaii closed in 2020 due to COVID-19, the total number of deaths per year has dropped to 52. Including 15 visitors. As of June 2021, there have been 27 fatal ocean drowning incidents. On average, one tourist drowns in Hawaii every week. More tourists drown while snorkeling than almost all other marine activities combined. In Hawaii, ocean-related activities are the second most common cause of spinal cord injury. Most happened to tourists (83%).

This year, the Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee collaborated with the annual Duke Ocean Festival to celebrate Duke Kahanamoku's outstanding life. The Olympian used his surfboard to help rescue the victims of the overturned ship in Newport Beach. This has led lifeguards across the United States to start using surfboards as standard equipment for water rescue.

"With the return of tourists and more residents heading to the beach, lifeguards and marine safety professionals have never been more important," said John Tichin, director of marine safety for the city and county of Honolulu and member of the Drowning Advisory Committee. "All islands need lifeguards more than ever. From swimmers to surfers, from stand-up paddlers to kayakers, to sailors, from anglers to body surfers, and everything in between. Everything in between, it’s very busy there."

The Hawaiian Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee is coordinated by the Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Division. The advisory committee brings together organizations from all four counties as well as state and non-profit organizations.

2021 Hawaii Beach Safety Week activities include:

For more information about the Advisory Committee or drowning prevention efforts statewide, please contact Bridget Velasco at [email protected].

PDF: Hawaii Celebrates Beach Safety Week August 22-28