The ZAC Foundation

05/23/2025

Headed on vacation this Memorial Day Weekend? 🏖️ ☀️

Our Executive Director Megan Ferraro ( ) joined to share some water safety reminders ahead of the long weekend. Stay safe!

05/19/2025

🏖️ May is Water Safety Month—Refresh your beach flag knowledge before your next trip to the shore. 🚩

Do you know what those colorful flags at the beach mean? They’re not just decoration, they’re crucial safety signals.

🟩 Green: Low hazard - calm conditions
🟨 Yellow: Medium hazard - use caution
🟥 Red: High hazard - dangerous conditions
🟥🟥 Double Red: Water closed to public
🟪 Purple: Marine pests present
🟥🟨 Red/Yellow: Lifeguard-supervised area

Always check the flags before entering the water and teach your children what they mean. Beach flag knowledge saves lives.

10/06/2024

Happy !

The ZAC Foundation extends a huge THANK YOU to the instructors who make possible.

This summer, these dedicated ZAC Camp team members taught hundreds of kids essential swimming and survival skills safely.

10/02/2024

Moises Rodriguez, a 30-year-old Army veteran, was one of seven people who tragically drowned at NYC beaches this summer, marking the most drownings since 2019. Many victims, like Moises, lived in districts with limited access to swimming facilities, leaving nearly 2 million New Yorkers in "swimming deserts."

While city leaders are taking steps, grieving families are calling for stricter controls on off-hours beach access to prevent further losses.

An analysis found that most of the drowning victims at city beaches lived in neighborhoods with minimal access to pools.

09/19/2024

🚨Recall Alert— U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
has recalled Pool Drain Covers for violating .

Pool owners/operators and consumers should immediately stop using pools with the recalled pool drain cover; and remove, replace and dispose of the recalled drain covers. Take a photo of the recalled cover and send it to the recalling firm by email at [email protected] to receive a full refund. Ensur...

09/18/2024

Are you a state leader working to put an end to drownings in your community? is hosting monthly office hours to advise localized working groups.

Register at watersafetyplan.us and come with updates or questions on how to advance water safety in your region.

09/17/2024

Summer is over, but water safety remains crucial, especially after drowning rates surged in 2024, claiming the lives of children nationwide and in the tri-state area.

Read ZAC Foundation Co-Founder Karen Cohn's essay in the New York Post to learn how to protect your family.

Karen Cohn shares her important message in a recent article in New York Post.

09/12/2024

Just because summer vacation is done, doesn't mean water safety stops.

With waterside activities continuing into the fall, don't let your safety skills dull:

1️⃣ Enroll your child in swim lessons, to sharpen their skills in the off-season
2️⃣ Remind little ones to never wander off by the water alone
3️⃣ Talk about safety together while planning weekend activities, it only takes a minute

Find more guidance in Co-Founder Karen Cohn's article in the New York Post, Summer may be ending, but water safety is more important than ever: https://nypost.com/2024/09/08/opinion/why-water-safety-is-more-important-than-ever/

09/08/2024

This summer saw a significant rise in drownings across the U.S. and locally in the tri-state area, driven by unsupervised access to pools, a lack of barriers, the lifeguard shortage, and dangerous currents.

New York City alone has had six fatalities at city beaches, the highest since 2019. In Suffolk County, Long Island, backyard pool drownings also spiked, with 10 reported fatalities. New Jersey’s beaches and pools have similarly experienced tragic drownings.

According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4, and the rates have increased by 28% since 2019. Black communities are disproportionately affected, with drowning rates rising 28% for Black individuals during the same period. An alarming 40 million American adults lack basic swimming skills, with barriers like cost and lack of access exacerbating the problem in marginalized communities.

Water safety is critical year-round. Read The ZAC Foundation's Co-Founder Karen Cohn’s essay in the New York Post: https://nypost.com/2024/09/08/opinion/why-water-safety-is-more-important-than-ever/

09/08/2024

Grandparents make great !

Whether during bath time, by the pool or beach—always assign a designated guardian to supervise the swimming child. Water watchers should:

✅ Keep their eyes on the child at all times
✅ Stay within arm’s reach if the child is still learning to swim
🚫 NOT stare at their phone or book
🚫 NOT consume alcohol while supervising