PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kaitlin Krause, Founder and Executive Director of Rising Tide Effect, on Water Safety Crisis
1:39:56
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3 min
Kaitlin Krause, representing Rising Tide Effect, addresses the NYC City Council about the urgent water safety crisis in the city, emphasizing the need for immediate action to prevent drownings, especially among children. She calls for comprehensive water safety education in schools and increased investment in lifeguard recruitment and safety campaigns.
- Highlights the disproportionate response to water-related deaths compared to other public safety issues
- Criticizes the lack of water safety education in schools, despite New York City being surrounded by water
- Urges the administration to prioritize water safety, including addressing budget cuts to the Parks Department and implementing curriculum changes
Kaitlin Krause
1:39:56
Good afternoon.
1:39:57
It's team members of the city council and fellow New Yorkers.
1:40:01
My name is Caitlin Krause.
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I'm the founder and executive director of rising tide effect, and I am a member of the task force for the city called the Lifeguard Interorganizational Task Force along the parks.
1:40:16
And I'm an appointed commissioner for the state on the temporary commission to prevent childhood drowning.
1:40:23
Today, I'm here, though, to speak about the crisis.
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The one that's not only preventable, but is actively claiming the lives of our children.
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This is not just a concern.
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It's an emergency.
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Imagine if this were happening on our roadways, if four to seven people were dying on the same street every summer.
1:40:42
Would we stand idly by?
1:40:44
No.
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We would immediately see traffic lights signage, speed limits, anything, and everything to prevent further loss of life.
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Action would be swift, decisive, and prioritized.
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If for some reason when it comes to drownings, we haven't responded with the same urgency.
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Perhaps it's because the full scope of the issue isn't being recognized.
1:41:06
Our data is selective and limited, and this has slowed progress.
1:41:11
The community is ready to act, but feet have been dragged and unhelpful responses have jammed up initiatives we need to save lives, especially the lives of our children.
1:41:22
The solutions are right in front of us, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
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The time for going to the drawing board and debating next steps has passed.
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City hall must act now.
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At the heart of this issue is the need for water safety education to be part of our school curriculum.
1:41:39
It's not enough to rely on lifeguards or parents.
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Every child must be equipped with situational awareness around water.
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A 10 minute conversation about rip currents in schools can save lives.
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But despite being surrounded by water, our children are not taught these essential skills in school.
1:41:55
Now the largest resource in this crisis is the parks department.
1:42:00
Which oversees our city pools and beaches.
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But logically speaking, how can they do more with a budget that has been continually slashed, especially when it comes to water safety?
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How can they adequately staff our beaches if more than half of our New Yorkers have no swimming or water safety knowledge at all?
1:42:19
The Parks department is at the mercy of the administration's priorities.
1:42:23
Budget cuts have made it clear where water safety ranks on that list.
1:42:27
And while this is a part hearing, it's a vital issue that that needs to land on the desk of our mayor.
1:42:33
We can't simply resign our youth to drownings as nature being nature.
1:42:37
It's unacceptable to claim that parents who oftentimes don't have the knowledge themselves about the water should bear the full responsibility for their children's decision to enter the water, especially when those children are tempted into the water during a heat wave after lifeguards have left, but the sun is still beating strong.
1:42:55
At the memorial at Beach 44th just this Friday morning.
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Miss Amina, the mother of one of the young grinding victims told us Elijah knew how to swim.
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He just didn't know about Rip Curran's.
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Our leaders of New York City, our leader of New York City should not wait for other cities to lead.
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We are in New York City.
1:43:15
We lead the way.
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Water safety education must be a public priority.
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Our administration should be investing in lifeguard recruitment, comprehensive water safety campaigns, and most critically a curriculum in our schools that teaches every child how to stay safe in and around the water.
1:43:33
I urge this administration to take immediate common sense action.
1:43:37
Together, we could prevent these unnecessary tragedies and build a safer future for our children.
1:43:42
Thank you for your time and consideration.
