Deep Dive: An Interview with Robin Baird

More from Deep Dive Into Water Safety All episodes →

1. 

   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…

2. 

   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…

3. 

   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…

4. 

   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…

5. 

   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…

6. 

   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…

7. 

   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…

8. 

   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…

9. 

   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…

10. 

    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…