Gov. Linda Lingle, along with representatives from government and private partners, signed a proclamation in her chambers today launching the weeklong event, which runs through May 28.

Hawai'i has the second-highest resident drowning rate in the nation, a rate that is twice the average for the rest of the country. Each year about 65 people in Hawai'i drown in the ocean, and nearly half of them are residents.

In order to raise awareness about beach and ocean hazards, the state and city cooperatively launched www.hawaiibeachsafety.org, a site that allows people to check current ocean conditions before heading to the beach.

The site is automatically updated every 10 minutes.

"The Web site, which is up and running for all Islands, can save lives," said Dr. Chiyome Fukino, director of the state Department of Health, which helped fund the site.

For a complete schedule of activities taking place during Hawai'i Beach Safety Week, visit www.hawaii.gov/doh.