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Advancing collaborative drowning prevention and water safety efforts in California 2025 California Water Safety Summit March 4th 5th Huntington Beach OUR CHALLENGE AND PURPOSE Drowning is a major problem globally in the United States and in the State of California. Approximately 400 drowning deaths occur each year in California in addition to nonfatal events resulting in another 400 hospitalizations and over 1000 emergency department visits per year. Each submersion event affects multiple lives the person who drowns family members rescuers and the community at large. Moreover both fatal and nonfatal drowning events are associated with complex emotional economic and societal costs that justify robust prevention and risk reduction efforts.