Fatal and Nonfatal Drowning Statistics

The Southern Nevada Health District Drowning Registry tracks the number of children in Clark County, ages 0-14 years old, who experience a submersion incident that results in the activation of the 911 system.

Please note: this registry does not capture all pediatric submersion incidents in Clark County. The purpose of this registry is to provide a real-time estimate of pediatric submersions and to gather additional information about the risk factors of pediatric submersion incidents. Fatal drownings are reported in the table below after being confirmed through a death certificate review.

Submersion is a term used globally to describe both fatal and nonfatal drownings. A nonfatal drowning is defined as resulting in no impairment, some impairment, or significant impairment. Studies conducted in Australia, Great Britain, the United States, and Thailand show that between 5% and 35% of hospitalized nonfatal drowning victims suffer severe, permanent neurologic disability.

2019 – 2023

Year	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Total Number of Submersion Incidents Reported to Registry	39	26	35	45	46
% among 0-4 Year Olds	69%	88%	80%	84%	78%
Number of Submersions in Pools Only	35	21	32	31	34
% in Public Pools	46%	43%	41%	23%	32%
% in Residential Pools	54%	57%	59%	77%	68%
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-14 year olds	9	5	6	10	6
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-4 year olds	5	5	5	8	< 5*
This table was updated on March 20, 2024

2016 – 2018

Year	2016	2017	2018
Total Number of Submersion Incidents Reported to Registry	50	64	51
% among 0-4 Year Olds	88%	76%	88%
Number of Submersions in Pools Only	39	53	40
% in Public Pools	28%	43%	40%
% in Residential Pools	72%	57%	60%
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-14 year olds	9	10	6
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-4 year olds	6	8	5
This table was updated on April 23, 2020

2012 – 2015

Year	2012	2013	2014	2015
Total Number of Submersion Incidents Reported to Registry	54	41	34	44
% among 0-4 Year Olds	76%	83%	85%	73%
Number of Submersions in Pools Only	45	35	27	41
% in Public Pools	31%	40%	26%	34%
% in Residential Pools	69%	60%	74%	66%
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-14 year olds	7	4	2	9
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-4 year olds	5	3	1	8

2006 – 2011

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Total Number of Submersion Incidents Reported to Registry	40	56	54	59	41	37
% among 0-4 Year Olds	80%	80%	80%	95%	73%	89%
Number of Submersions in Pools Only	31	51	50	50	38	33
% in Public Pools	39%	27%	34%	26%	34%	31%
% in Residential Pools	61%	73%	66%	74%	66%	69%
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-14 year olds	7	10	10	10	8	5
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-4 year olds	5	10	10	9	7	4

2000 – 2005

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Total Number of Submersion Incidents Reported to Registry	50	67	56	43	40	49
% among 0-4 Year Olds	82%	78%	88%	81%	78%	84%
Number of Submersions in Pools Only	42	61	43	37	29	48
% in Public Pools	57%	38%	44%	32%	41%	33%
% in Residential Pools	43%	62%	56%	68%	59%	67%
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-14 year olds	6	8	6	10	4	6
Number of Fatal Drownings 0-4	5	3	6	7	3	6

1994 – 1999

Year	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Total Number of Submersion Incidents	59	47	50	53	54	62
% among 0-4 Year Olds	83%	85%	80%	72%	76%	82%
Number of Submersions in Pools Only	46	40	43	47	47	54
% in Public Pools	28%	43%	47%	36%	35%	44%
% in Residential Pools	72%	57%	53%	64%	65%	56%
Number of Fatal Drownings among 0-14 year olds	14	6	10	6	14	10
Number of Fatal Drownings 0-4	11	5	8	5	11	9

Contact Information

Phone:
(702) 759-1000

Email:
snhdpublicinformation@snhd.org

Updated on: March 20, 2024