the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — According to Village Manager Keith Kazmark, drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4. On average, New Jersey loses 10 children per year to this tragic and preventable cause.
To combat these alarming statistics and increase access to water safety programs, Ridgewood Parks & Recreation is partnering with NJSSA, NJRPA, and Dolfin Swimwear for a bathing suit and goggle donation drive. The initiative will help remove one of the biggest barriers to swimming lessons—proper swim gear—especially for children in underserved communities.
🏊♀️ Why This Drive Matters
Swimming lessons save lives. But for many low-income families, even free lessons remain inaccessible due to the lack of swimwear. Ridgewood is proud to host a drop-off location for new bathing suits and goggles that will support community-based swim instruction programs across New Jersey.
Kazmark emphasized the importance of local involvement:
“This is about saving lives. Every child deserves the chance to learn to swim safely, and we’re proud to be part of this life-saving effort.”
🌊 The Truth About Drowning: What Every Parent Needs to Know
Drowning is fast, silent, and preventable. It can happen in under a minute and in just two inches of water. Many assume it will never happen to them, but drowning touches families of all backgrounds.
📉 Alarming Drowning Statistics
Global
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Over 320,000 people die annually from drowning worldwide.
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Children aged 1–9 are most at risk.
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Males are twice as likely to drown as females.
United States
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4,000 drownings occur annually (10 per day).
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Drowning is the #1 cause of death for children ages 1-4.
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80% of child drownings occur in home pools, often while adults are present.
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Children under 1 are most likely to drown in bathtubs, buckets, and small containers.
Racial & Income Disparities
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64% of African-American, 45% of Hispanic/Latino, and 40% of Caucasian children have few or no swimming skills.
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Children from families earning under $50,000 are far less likely to know how to swim.
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African-American children ages 5–19 drown in pools at a 5.5x higher rate than white children.
✅ Prevention Tips to Save Lives
👶 Learn to Swim
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Formal lessons reduce drowning risk by 88%.
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Free or low-cost programs are available across NJ—gear donations help kids attend.
🛟 Install Pool Barriers
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A four-sided isolation fence with self-latching gates helps prevent access to home pools.
👁 Stay Vigilant
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Supervision is key. Avoid distractions like phones or alcohol when children are near water.
🚨 Learn CPR
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CPR can be the difference between life and death during water emergencies.
🦺 Use Life Jackets
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Children should wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets during boating or when near open water.
📍 How You Can Help in Ridgewood
Drop off new bathing suits and goggles at Ridgewood Parks & Recreation and help give more children the tools they need to stay safe in the water. Your donation could save a life.
Drowning is preventable. With greater awareness, access to swim instruction, and community support, we can help ensure no family in New Jersey suffers this unimaginable loss.
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This logic is idiotic.
People can afford a swimsuit for their children.
Now attack me for telling the truth.
Because you assume the program is sincere, if not stupid, and that it’s stated objectives are the real ones. Obviously they’re not.
“80% of child drownings occur in home pools, often while adults are present.” Right. If you can afford a pool at home, you can afford a swimsuit. And if you’re a poor kid, who cares if you drown? So what are we really doing here?
Like the sad ads on TV where they have little kids in translated statements using words that PhD’s probably wouldn’t know……………….and in countries where those types of groups would not be tolerated by the regimes….
OR food drives based on a question on whether you’ve ever gone to bed hungry extrapolated to show that there is widespread starvation in the US………
And woe to the schools that don’t have washing machines for their kids, because, don’t you know, dirty clothes stifle learning…………..