Podcast · Tech & Science

Deep Dive Into Water Safety

by Kauaʻi Community Radio - KKCR · English · Tech & Science

Deep Dive Into Water Safety is a podcast dedicated to to one powerful truth: Drowning is preventable. Hosted by Kauaʻi waterperson Margaret Wright, the show features conversations with experts and community leaders from around the world who are working to save lives in and around the water. Togeth

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 4 min
Latest: 7 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Sep 2026 · 57 min

Deep Dive: An Interview with Chris Harkness

Episode Notes Beyond Swim Lessons: Building Lifelong Water Safety What does it really mean for a child to be safe around water? Chris Harkness , President of SafeSplash Swim School , talks about why learning to swim is only part of the answer. He explains the Safer Swimmer Promise, the self-rescue skills children should develop, and why becoming a capable swimmer takes time, repetition, and consistent practice. For many children, that process can take eight to twelve months rather than a few weeks of lessons. The conversation looks at how we define water competency and whether children are…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S1 · 3 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Nathalie Martin
Episode Notes Beyond the Plan: Turning Water Safety Into Action Drowning prevention does not begin with a swimming pool. It begins with knowledge, local leadership, and the willingness to use the resources a community already has. Nathalie Martin discusses how her work in aquatics, research, humanitarian settings, and drowning prevention led to the creation of the Swim Global Project, a network designed to connect people across a water safety field that can often be fragmented. By bringing together swim school owners, researchers, public health professionals, operators, and other…
S1 · 21 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Kurt Lager
Episode Notes August 16, 2026 Before the Rescue: Can Hawaiʻi Become the World’s Model for Water Safety? Chief Kurt Lager on the Future of Ocean Safety in Hawaiʻi What if the future of ocean safety begins before anyone needs rescuing? Honolulu Ocean Safety is entering a new era. Now operating as an independent department, it has a greater ability to shape its staffing, equipment, facilities, budget and future direction. In this episode of Deep Dive Into Water Safety, Chief Kurt Lager explains how that change could help Hawaiʻi move beyond responding to emergencies and reach people before an…
S1 · 14 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Kanesa Duncan Seraphin
Episode Notes What Nine Championships Teach You About the Ocean: Kanesa Duncan Seraphin Nine-time Molokaʻi to Oʻahu prone paddleboard world champion Kanesa Duncan Seraphin has spent a lifetime learning from the ocean. A Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame inductee, marine scientist, educator, and host of the award winning Voice of the Sea , Kanesa brings a rare combination of elite ocean experience and scientific knowledge. Fresh off her historic ninth M2O victory, Kanesa joins Deep Dive Into Water Safety to talk about what decades on the water have taught her about preparation, judgment, risk,…
S1 · 11 Aug 2026 · 54 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Alissa Magrum and Norm Reitter
Episode Notes July 30, 2026: Alissa Magrum paddles with Kalani Vierra for Paddle for Life The conversation focuses on drowning prevention through awareness, collaboration, and data-driven solutions. Alissa Magrum ( NDPA ) discusses her participation in the Paddle for Life event, a 100-mile paddle around Kauaʻi led by Kalani Vierra, OSB Chief for Kauai, to raise awareness and funds for water safety. Alissa shares both the physical experience and the emotional motivation behind her work, emphasizing that drowning is often overlooked until it directly impacts families A key theme is that…
S1 · 20 Jul 2026 · 57 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Sam Johnson
Episode Notes Building Water Competence: What Hawaiʻi Can Learn from England Every child deserves the knowledge and confidence to make safe decisions around water. But what is the best way to teach it? This episode explores England's nationally coordinated approach to water safety education and the lessons it offers for Hawaiʻi. It examines why England developed a National Water Safety Competency Framework and National Water Safety Education Pathway, bringing leading organizations together to deliver consistent, evidence based water safety education from early childhood through secondary…
S1 · 3 Jul 2026 · 39 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Sara Kehaulani Goo
Episode Notes **What's Your Kuleana?The Question Hawaiʻi Asks the World What does kuleana really mean? In this thought provoking conversation, award winning journalist Sara Kehaulani Goo , President of Creator Content at The Washington Post and author of Kuleana: A Story of Family, Land, and Legacy in Old Hawaiʻi, shares the story behind her family's effort to protect ancestral land on Maui and the deeper journey that followed into history, identity, culture, and the responsibilities we inherit from those who came before us. Sara explains that kuleana is often translated as responsibility,…
S1 · 29 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Sam Proffitt
Episode Notes Beyond the Rescue: What One Rip Current Incident Teaches Us About Saving Lives This episode features Sam Proffitt, Ocean Rescue Director for Wrightsville Beach, firefighter, paramedic, veteran lifeguard, researcher, and member of the International Drowning Researchers' Alliance (IDRA). His work bridges frontline rescue operations and drowning research, including studies on drowning care, responder mental health, rip currents, and emergency messaging. Also joining the conversation was Lt. Jamie Miess of Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue. A recent high-profile rip current rescue…
S1 · 25 Jun 2026 · 58 min
Deep Dive: Brook and Zane Silvester
Episode Notes ** Eyes for Lives: Building the Next Generation of First Nations Lifeguards What if one of the most effective ways to prevent drowning is not a new rescue technique, but helping people reconnect with culture, community, and the ocean? In this episode of Deep Dive Into Water Safety, Bundjalung Saltwater People Brook Silvester and his son Zane join the program to discuss the work they are doing to create new pathways into water safety for Indigenous youth on Australia's Gold Coast. Among many coastal First Nations communities in Australia, Saltwater People are those whose…
S1 · 22 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 22 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Dr David Szpilman
Episode Notes June 4, 2026: Dr David Szpilman: Drowning Is Preventable: What if one of the biggest barriers to preventing drowning isn't a lack of rescue skills, but how we think about drowning itself? Physician, researcher, and drowning prevention pioneer Dr. David Szpilman joins Deep Dive Into Water Safety to discuss the science, data, and lifesaving strategies that have helped reshape drowning prevention around the world and what Hawaiʻi can learn from them. Dr. David Szpilman is a physician, founder of SOBRASA (the Brazilian Lifesaving Society), creator of the internationally recognized…
S1 · 19 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Dr Will Koon
Episode Notes June 1, 2026: Dr Will Koon: Beyond Warning Signs: Rethinking Drowning Prevention in Hawaiʻi Dr. Will Koon is a drowning prevention researcher with Royal Life Saving Australia whose work focuses on understanding who is drowning, why they are drowning, and how communities can reduce risk through better data and targeted interventions. He has been involved in Australia's National Water Safety Strategy and is part of a broader effort that has helped drive significant reductions in drowning over the past two decades. What makes Dr. Koon's perspective particularly valuable is his…
S1 · 29 May 2026 · 43 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with David and Tia Samuel
Episode Notes David and Tia Samuel In this episode of Deep Dive into Water Safety , Margaret Wright speaks with David and Tia Samuel from Brighton, England, about how surf lifesaving, family involvement, and early education are changing the way communities approach drowning prevention. David shares how Brighton Surf Life Saving Club grew into a major volunteer-driven organization and explains the success of their innovative “Sandhoppers” program, which teaches children ages 5–7 water confidence and safety skills alongside their parents. Tia discusses her journey from youth surf lifesaving to…
S1 · 25 May 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Robin Baird
Episode Notes March 3, 2026: Robin Baird, PhD Marine Mammal Researcher Robin Baird is a marine biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective who has been studying dolphins and whales in Hawaiian waters since 1999. During this interview, he discussed how little scientific information previously existed about many nearshore species in Hawaiʻi and how long‑term research has helped improve understanding of marine mammal populations, behavior, and conservation needs. The interview explored human impacts on marine mammals and how people can interact responsibly with wildlife in the ocean. He has…
S1 · 22 May 2026 · 54 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Dr Hanna Van Waart
Episode Notes Research, CPSC Warning, and Manufacturer Responsibility Hanna Van Waart PhD Exercise Physiologist at the University of Aukland discussed full face mask safety, her research and manufacturer’s responsibility The research article, “Full-face snorkel masks increase the incidence of hypoxemia and hypercapnia during simulated snorkeling compared to conventional snorkels,” was published in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine in December 2023. The study was led by Janneke Grundemann, with coauthors Xavier C.E. Vrijdag, Nicole Y.E. Wong, Nicholas Gant, Simon J. Mitchell, and Hanna van…
S1 · 18 May 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Alissa Magrum, 2026
Episode Notes April 8, 2026 This episode of Deep Dive into Water Safety explores a critical truth: drowning is not random, rare, or inevitable; it is a preventable public health crisis. Alissa Magrum , Executive Director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance , will unpack why drowning continues to impact communities worldwide despite being largely preventable. Alissa shares her deeply personal journey into drowning prevention and highlights the urgent need to treat water safety as an essential life skill, just like wearing seatbelts or bike helmets. The conversation dives into the…
S1 · 15 May 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Drasko Bogdanovic and Dr. Justin Sempsrott
Episode Notes Inside the Roundup: Drasko Bogdanovic and Dr. Justin Sempsrott on the Critical Minutes That Save Lives — “Micro Delays Matter” This episode of Deep Dive Into Water Safety focused on what happens in the first minutes after a drowning rescue and why those moments can determine survival long before someone reaches a hospital. Returning guests Drasko Bogdanovic and Dr. Justin Sempsrott discussed the San Luis Obispo “Roundup,” a large scale rescue training event that brought together more than 250 first responders, including lifeguards, EMS, firefighters, and rescue personnel from…
S1 · 11 May 2026 · 48 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Ralph Goto
Episode Notes April 26, 2026 From Rescue to Prevention: Ralph Goto on Snorkeling Safety in HawaiʻiUnderstanding the risks behind snorkeling incidents and the future of ocean safety through research, education, and lifeguard leadership This episode explores the evolution of lifeguarding in Hawaiʻi and takes a deep dive into the growing concerns around snorkeling safety. Veteran ocean safety leader Ralph Goto former Chief of the City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety Division, longtime lifeguard, and one of the key architects of Hawaiʻi’s modern ocean safety system shares how lifeguarding…
S1 · 8 May 2026 · 1 hr 25 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Mark Haimona
Episode Notes May 5, 2026 Kia Maanu, Kia Ora! Stay Afloat, Stay Alive ! Mark Haimona is a leading Māori water safety educator and researcher from Aotearoa New Zealand whose work has helped reshape Indigenous drowning-prevention strategies through culturally grounded education and community engagement. His career has focused on moving beyond traditional Western lifeguarding models toward approaches that connect directly with communities, culture, and environment. His work has had strong influence internationally, including in Hawaiʻi, where Native Hawaiian watermen, researchers, and educators…
S1 · 1 May 2026 · 1 hr 33 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Dr Morgan and Adrian Mayhew
Episode Notes Standardization of Practice and Lifeguards should be First Responders and Families should know Pushy Pushy Blowy Blowy Sparky Sparky In this episode, internationally recognized experts Dr. Patrick Morgan Medical Director to His Majesty’s Coastguard. He has been a key contributor to advancing standardized drowning definitions and reporting frameworks, helping align global data and improve prevention strategies. His work spans the full continuum of drowning from prevention and rescue to resuscitation and post-incident care emphasizing a systems-based, data-driven approach. Adrian…
S1 · 28 Apr 2026 · 54 min
Deep Dive: A Recap and Interview with Mayor Derek SK Kawakami
Episode Notes 4.17.26 For the live show, Margaret catches up with outgoing Kauaʻi Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, an avid waterman and surfer, on the collaborations and progress that the Kauaʻi Lifeguard Association has made in the past year. Says Kawakami about the visit that the Okinawan Lifeguards made to Kauaʻi: “The exchange of lifesaving knowledge and culture strengthens our ability to protect everyone enjoying Kaua‘i’s waters. Programs like this build international friendships and make our ocean safety efforts even more effective.” Mayor Kawakami was our first interview for Deep Dive, so…
S1 · 15 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Allison Schaefers
Episode Notes Resident not just visitors account for nearly half of ocean drownings in Hawaiʻi, about 49 percent, challenging one of the most common assumptions about who is at risk. Even more sobering: drowning remains the leading cause of death for Hawaiʻi’s children ages 1 to 15. Allison Schaefers , a journalist with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and a key member of the Hawaiʻi Water Safety Coalition, is helping change that reality. Her work sits at the intersection of public awareness, policy, and prevention treating drowning not as an accident, but as a preventable public health issue.…
S1 · 1 Apr 2026 · 42 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Dr Laura Trapani
Episode Notes Dr Laura Trapani The Safety Risks of Full-Face Snorkeling Masks, particularly for Children This interview is based on research presented by Dr. Laura Trapani a pediatrician and clinical researcher affiliated with the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo children’s Hospital and the University of Trieste in Italy. Where her work is helping to reshape how we think about child safety in the water. Full-Face Snorkeling Masks Carry a Risk of Hypercapnia and Drowning in Younger Children: A Case Series 2025 . Dr. Trapani’s research has gotten the attention of the Italian Ministry who are in the…
S1 · 27 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Colleen Saunders
Episode Notes “Drowning Isn’t Inevitable It is Preventable.” - Dr. Colleen Saunders Dr. Colleen Saunders is a leading researcher in drowning prevention whose work is helping to reshape how we understand water safety on a global scale. Her journey into this field didn’t begin in a laboratory it began in the ocean. She spent nearly two decades as a voluntary lifeguard at Big Bay in Cape Town, where lifesaving became part of who she is. What started as a passion and a commitment to protecting others in the water would eventually evolve into a powerful research career. After completing her PhD,…
S1 · 13 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Rob Brander
Episode Notes 2.15.26 Professor Rob Brander is an internationally recognized coastal geomorphologist and one of the world’s leading experts on rip currents and beach safety. His research has played a major role in reshaping scientific understanding of rip current behavior and how people respond when caught in them. Professor Brander is based at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, where he serves in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Toronto and earned his Ph.D. from the…
S1 · 9 Mar 2026 · 34 min
Deep Dive: Taishi Otono
Episode Notes 2.19.26 Taishi Otono is a respected leader in ocean safety and lifesaving in Okinawa, Japan, and an emerging international voice in collaborative drowning prevention. Through his work with the Okinawan lifesaving community, Otono has helped strengthen professional guard training, rescue operations, and cross-cultural partnerships aimed at improving coastal safety. Okinawa shares many similarities with Hawaiʻi—both are island regions with strong ocean cultures, heavy tourism, and complex coastal environments shaped by reef systems, powerful currents, and seasonal weather…
S1 · 7 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with ILCIRA
Episode Notes Why aren’t lifeguards first responders? This interview is focusing on a part of aquatic safety that is often overlooked but critically important the psychological impact of critical incidents on lifeguards and aquatic professionals. This conversation is about evidence, responsibility, and the people who protect lives in and around the water and what it takes to protect them in return. Lifeguards are routinely exposed to high-stress events: rescues, near-drownings, fatalities, and repeated exposure to trauma. Yet unlike many other first-responder professions, the mental health…
S1 · 20 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Jamie MacMahan
Episode Notes 2.14.26: Jamie McMahan, a leading researcher whose work focuses on how people experience and survive rip currents in real-world ocean conditions. Jamie is a professor of oceanography at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. His research has helped reshape how scientists, lifeguards, and safety professionals understand rip currents not just as physical ocean processes, but as human survival events. With coastal drowning remaining a critical issue worldwide and here in Hawaiʻi this conversation is especially timely. We explore what research tells us about how rip…
S1 · 11 Feb 2026 · 42 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Ian Couch
Episode Notes July 18, 2025 Extra Interview: Margaret talks in studio with Ian Couch, the water safety expert for Worldʻs Toughest Row . The Toughest Row folks were on Kauaʻi receiving teams of rowers who traveled from Monterey, CA to Hanalei Bay. Ian talks about making safety a culture and how athletes take on this grueling and amazing trip. Support Deep Dive Into Water Safety by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/deep-dive-into-water-safety
S1 · 7 Feb 2026 · 52 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with John Kalei Clarke
Episode Notes September 16, 2025 John Kaleimakaliʻi Thornton Clarke, who happens to be the grand nephew of Duke Kahanamoku, is an accomplished waterman in his own right and a researcher with the Hawaii Department of Health. He epically swam around Maui to bring awareness to the fact that native Hawaiians are drowning at a higher rate than other population groups. Support Deep Dive Into Water Safety by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/deep-dive-into-water-safety
S1 · 3 Feb 2026 · 30 min
Deep Dive: An Interview with Nicki Roderick
Episode Notes August 15, 2025 Niki Roderick is the founder and CEO of Free Dive Safe and is the NZ record holder for free diving. A dedicated ocean woman, she is also a strong advocate for water safety in schools. But not only for children, for adults and all ocean lovers. Her work supports free divers, paddlers, spear-fishers, boaters and more. She is currently working to get water safety as standard curriculum in Hawaii middle schools. Support Deep Dive Into Water Safety by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/deep-dive-into-water-safety

About Deep Dive Into Water Safety

Deep Dive Into Water Safety is a English tech & science podcast from Kauaʻi Community Radio - KKCR. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Kauaʻi Community Radio - KKCR
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 4 min
Latest episode: 7 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1863807701

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