Summer Re-Runs: Water Can Be Dangerous ... Be Careful Out There
The end of summer can be a dangerous time during storms
As you can imagine, I get lots of news items about drowning in the summer:
23 Aug 2025, Daily Voice: Man Drowns On Fire Island Just After Beaches Reopen From Hurricane Erin: Police
Long Island's beaches hadn't been open for more than a few hours after Hurricane Erin forced them closed when a South Carolina man drowned Saturday, Aug. 23.
Ishmoile Mohammed, 59, was swimming at Sailors Haven on Fire Island in the ocean when the current pulled him west around 2:45 p.m., according to Suffolk County police.
Lifeguards pulled him from the water and, with the assistance of Fire Island National Seashore employees, began life-saving efforts, police said.
Mohammed was airlifted to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, where he was pronounced dead, according to the release.
New York's beaches reopened Saturday afternoon following Hurricane Erin. The beaches were closed through Saturday morning.
So, um, I didn’t quite hear about Hurricane Erin here in Croton Falls, NY.
That said, I can believe it roiled the shores while those of us farther inland got a bit of wind, and that was it.
It’s gotta be awful to be up from South Carolina, where hurricanes are more common, just to be hit with the deadly effects in the ocean in Yankeeland.
Wait a sec, the copy sounds wrong — a later piece said he was actually from New York, born and raised. He was from Long Island. Anyway, ugh, don’t go swimming in stormy seas. It’s dangerous.
Drowning: Adults Tend to Drown in Natural Water, Kids in Pools
It’s still summer (for a bit), so here are the re-runs:
RIP, Malcolm-Jamal Warner: Drowning as the Summer Menace
23 July 2025, ABC 6: Malcolm-Jamal Warner was swimming with 8-year-old daughter, who was rescued, when he drowned
You can see that for those aged 1-4 years old, over half of the drowning deaths are swimming pool-related.
Those who are teens/early adults have the highest percentage of their drowning deaths related to natural water.
Bathtubs have a high percentage for infants, and then growing percentage with increasing age for seniors.
Summer Drowning Pattern
And drowning deaths for the U.S. peak in July, but August is close after:
It’s easier to see in this older post:
2023 Summer Warning: Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning
Yes, I wrote about it last year. I’m writing about it this year. It’s a thing I do.
July is the peak each year, though.
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning!
This is the warning I trot out every Memorial Day… but the danger isn’t over yet:
Key points (from the CDC — and I also agree with these key points)
More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death.
Drowning happens in seconds and is often silent.
Drowning can happen to anyone, any time there is access to water.
Drowning Trend is Getting Odd
And here’s a weird pattern to look at:
Don’t ask me why older folks are drowning more often. They drown in tubs!
Maybe it’s medication-related.
At younger ages, the increase from 2019 to 2024 can come from more reckless behavior, perhaps. But I don’t know.
Have fun!
But don’t do stupid stuff!
Some Posts on Drowning
19 April 2022: Pools are more dangerous than Covid to small children
26 May 2025: Let's Be Safe Out There: Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning
29 May 2023: 2023 Summer Warning: Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning
28 Apr 2023: Podcast — Danger! Fire, Hurricanes, Drowning, and More
28 Jun 2023: Drowning Deaths: U.S. Geographic Differences 1999-2022 (provisional)
3 Jul 2023: Drowning Deaths: Sex and Race/Ethnicity, U.S., 1999-2022 (provisional)
25 Jul 2024: Mortality Nuggets: LBJ and Smoking, Lightning Deaths up to 7, Sharks!, and Drowning
25 May 2023: Podcast — Walking Around Cemeteries (about drowning deaths)
24 Jul 2025: RIP, Malcolm-Jamal Warner: Drowning as the Summer Menace