Nonprofits are expanding efforts to reach more low-income kids, but a shortage of funding and pool space means not enough swim classes to meet the demand — even for families with money and time to spare.

Ocean safety efforts are left up to individual counties, leading to big disparities in drowning prevention across the islands. The state does little to help them. 

More residents drown on the North Shore of Oʻahu than almost anywhere else in the state. Even as the county ramps up resources for lifeguards, it’s a difficult problem to solve.

Every summer, approximately 1,200 keiki spend a week in the Honolulu Ocean Safety Department’s Junior Lifeguard Program. The locations are spread across Oʻahu and fill to capacity almost as soon as registration opens in May.

The number of residents who die each year is surprising, even to lifeguards. And the danger is not limited to inexperienced swimmers or surfers chasing Hawaiʻi’s notorious big waves. 

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children in the state, but efforts to address the problem have been mostly left up to community organizations with limited funding and uneven reach.

Whale researchers praised the shipping giant’s strides to improve its record, which followed a Civil Beat investigation. Competitor Pasha remains among the worst offenders.

A volunteer commission would have the power to appoint and remove the chief of the new Department of Ocean Safety.

The victim, 25, was hospitalized with multiple injuries after the attack in the Haleiwa area, authorities said.

Professional surfers sharing photos of cracked helmets and stories about dangerous wipeouts on social media are helping foster greater use of protective headgear.