Got Questions? We've Got Answers!

Whether you’re a parent looking for swim lesson details or a partner interested in supporting the initiative, we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions. Explore the sections below to get the information you need.

The Zero Drownings Miami-Dade Initiative is a new and innovative multicomponent, countywide drowning prevention program utilizing key community partnerships [see below list of partners] to increase water safety for children and families in Miami-Dade. Program components include developing, operating, and funding a long-term, large-scale safety net for children by coordinating and providing essential swim safety lessons during to the program day. It also includes a family engagement and education component on water safety for parents/guardians of children enrolled in the program and a community-wide water safety campaign on the importance of drowning prevention.

The Zero Drownings Miami-Dade Collaborative envisions a Miami-Dade where children from all neighborhoods, abilities, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds learn essential drowning prevention techniques that will make them safer and inspire them to respect and have affinity for the water that is a vital part of our community. The plan is to cyclically expand the program each year so that it will reach 20,000 children annually starting in the 2026-2027 program year and beyond. Zero Drownings Miami-Dade will reduce and aims to ultimately eliminate accidental drownings.

The families of children participating in the Zero Drownings Miami-Dade swim lessons will be offered an online water safety course provided by the American Red Cross in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
All community members can become more educated about water safety to join the zero challenge. Visit the Resources & Safety Tips section of this website for helpful information and links to additional resources.

According to the Florida Department of Health, more children ages 1 to 14 die from drowning than from any other cause of accidental death in Miami-Dade. The rates of deaths by drowning are high in Miami-Dade County due to multiple open points of access to water (e.g., ocean, canals, lakes) year-round. Teaching swim safety and survival techniques to young children safeguards their lives and also fosters a healthier, more connected, and resilient community.

Schools and centers will be preselected by the Miami-Dade County Office of Drowning Prevention, in partnership with schools, camps, and child care centers. Youth from one of these chosen sites must have approval by theor parent or guardian to participate, you will receive a notification from your child’s teacher.
Yes. The high risk of drowning for children with disabilities (especially autism) has been recognized, and emphasis is given to serving this population, with accommodations made with the expertise of organizations that serve children with disabilities. Please explore the “Resources & Safety Tips” section of this website for more information and resources related to this population.
Water Safety Instructors, who are certified by the American Red Cross and work with the county, municipal, and private learn-to-swim providers, will teach the classes. All curriculum is evidence-based and follows the best practices in water safety provided by the American Red Cross. The student-to-instructor ratio is a maximum of 1 to 6, meaning that for every six children in the group water safety class, there is at least one instructor. A certified lifeguard is on-duty during all Zero Drownings Miami-Dade swim lessons.

Students in the selected classrooms will be notified by their teacher, and if their parent/guardian completes all required registration forms by the assigned deadline, they will participate in the program. A new family- friendly registration program information, and data collection system is currently under development and will be available prior to our fall classes. The school or program will arrange for age-appropriate transportation for the students, who will be transported to a preselected participating pool near their school. The swim lessons will be 10 school days in a row, for 30 minutes, and will include safety education in addition to in-water instruction. Program materials will be available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

Be sure to complete all online permission forms by the assigned deadline. No child can participate without all parent waivers being signed in the online system. Please make sure to pack your child’s swimsuit, towel, and any other required supplies or materials.
Visit the Resources & Safety Tips section of this website to find the location of the nearest partner swim lesson provider to learn about their Learn to Swim programs. Make sure to also follow all safety tips in this section to protect your child and other children in and around the water. Together we can prevent child drownings.
With the tragic cases of child drownings in Miami-Dade, there was a need to implement a new large-scale drowning prevention program. Beginning in Spring 2023, leaders at The Children’s Trust, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, American Red Cross, The Miami Foundation, and United Way Miami joined forces to strategize and implement a new initiative, loosely based upon the “Swim Central” model in Broward County, but customized to Miami-Dade’s needs.

Anchor Partners

  • The Children’s Trust
  • Miami-Dade County
  • Miami-Dade County Public Schools
  • American Red Cross
  • The Miami Foundation
  • United Way Miami

Funding Partners

  • Edu Foundation
  • Templeton Family Foundation
  • Peacock Foundation
  • Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade
  • Florida Blue Foundation
  • Heckscher Foundation

Swim Provider Partners

(List continues to grow)
  • Ocaquatics Swim School
  • City of Miami
  • City of Miami Springs
  • City of Miami Gardens
  • City of Doral
  • City of North Miami Beach
The families of children participating in the Zero Drownings Miami-Dade swim lessons will be offered an online water safety course provided by the American Red Cross in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

All community members can become more educated about water safety to join the zero challenge. Please sign up for American Red Cross online water safety course and visit the Resources & Safety Tips section of this website for helpful information and links to additional resources.

Zero Drownings Miami-Dade is a collaborative effort across public and private anchor partners, funders, and swim provider partners all committed to ending child drownings in our community. The swim lessons are coordinated and managed by the Miami-Dade Office of Drowning Prevention formed to oversee this program.
The scientific evidence shows that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce drowning risk by 88% (Brenner, Taneja, Haynie, Trumble, Qian, et al., Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine 2009) and studies also show that drowning prevention programs must be multi-component to be effective (Primary and Secondary Drowning Interventions, International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 2015, 9, 89-101). This program meets those criteria and has a built-in sustainability component.
Please email the Office of Drowning Prevention at: drowningprevention@miamidade.gov.