Florida leads the nation in the number of childhood drowning deaths, and that number continues to rise. 

A Tampa Bay area mother has made it her mission to help prevent drownings. Amber Uhler’s advocacy for water safety stems from personal experience.

“When I was five years old, I was a non-fatal drowning victim,” said Uhler.

Years later, the survivor saved another child.

“I realized he was drowning, and it was so silent, and it was so fast, and it reminded me of what I’d been through, so I dove in and I saved him,” said Uhler.

She hopes to save more children by raising awareness.

“One thing I helped create was a water watcher card that goes out to teachers in all 50 states,” said Uhler.

The card includes the five layers of prevention:

Barriers: fences, alarms, motion-detection cameras
Supervision
Swim lessons
Use Coast Guard-approved life jacket
Learn CPR

“If you’re the active water watcher, you have to stay off your phone, actively supervise the area,” Uhler said. “If a child is missing, always check the water first and then pass the water watcher card off every 15 minutes.”

Drowning prevention is Uhler’s platform as a finalist in the Miss USA pageant. The 41-year-old says she became interested in pageantry later in life.

“It all started out as a New Year’s resolution,” said Uhler. “In 2021, I found myself morbidly obese, pre-diabetic, a size 24 and just about 300 pounds, and I wrote down at the time the wild idea that I wanted to compete in a beauty pageant.”

Today, she’s healthier and holds several crowns and titles. The beauty queen says those competitions give her a broader stage to help save lives.

The Florida Department of Children and Families reports more kids in Florida younger than five died from drowning than in any other state. Sixty-nine deaths were reported in 2020. In 2025, the total was 120 deaths.

BayCare Kids Wellness and Safety Specialist Gina Baez puts that spike into perspective.

“I think there’s a common misconception that these drownings are happening to non-Florida residents who are in town visiting, when statistically we’re seeing that it’s really more Florida residents,” said Baez.

Uhler is working to bring those numbers down.

“We helped get a bill passed in Florida, SB544, for free swim lessons, she said. “It was for children four and under, and on July 1st they just changed the law to be seven and under, so that was a huge win.”

The Children’s Board of Hillsborough County says swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88% in children younger than six. For Uhler, that increased awareness means everything.

“I know that my story of surviving is not how the tale usually turns out and I know how blessed I am,” said Uhler. “And I know that I’m here so that I can spread the message.”

Uhler says the public can help her spread that message and raise awareness. She needs community support to proceed in the pageant.

For more information on drowning prevention and to register for free safety classes, click here.