Marion County is trending towards a record number of drownings just six months into the year, and state and local officials want to keep the number from rising this holiday weekend.
Nine people have drowned in Marion County so far in 2026. That's more than all of 2025, said Bryan Fleck, dive commander for the Indianapolis Fire Department.
"As a father my heart just breaks for these families that experience loss from drowning," Fleck said. "And you know, in addition to the nine fatal drownings we've had here in Marion County, we've also had three non-fatal drownings, or near drownings. So those are children or adults that are pulled from the water and resuscitated successfully."
Across the state of Indiana last year, sixty people drowned. Lieutenant Angela Goldman, who works as an Indiana conservation officer, said the statewide trend is in a better place this year.
But Goldman said she expects those numbers to go up as temperatures around the state remain high and Hoosiers prepare for Fourth of July weekend.
"As soon as it heats up, our number of drownings increases exponentially," Goldman said. "And so it's just so important that everyone watches their kids, watches themselves, make sure that you have those life jackets on and stay safe on the water."
According to Rita Reith with the Indianapolis Fire Department, if anyone finds themselves in a dangerous situation while on the water, the first step should be to call 911. Reith said it's better to call and ultimately not need emergency help than to let a situation get out of hand.
Recent rains have also made waterways across the state more dangerous, especially in southern Indiana.
To find more information about how active your local waterway is, you can check the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Dashboard.
Contact WFYI Digital Producer and Reporter Jeremy Reuben at jreuben@wfyi.org
