Worldwide drowning is a leading cause of accidental loss of life and in the UK accounts for more fatalities than fire or cycling. Because 40% of those that die are under the age of 40 years, the annual number of years of life lost to drowning each year in the UK approaches 8000, the corresponding figure worldwide is over 10.6 million. This short history of the ‘Float to Live’ public health campaign details the process and collaboration required to achieve a widely deployed and successful drowning prevention initiative.