Do you know what drowning looks like?

[LibraryLady]

As a heat wave grips much of the US, I thought this a great reminder.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning (http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/drowning/?10981)

And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.


The companion article (http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/cold_water?11198) is pretty good too - especially for folk who live around cold water.


Stay safe everyone, as you try to stay cool!

LL

[Saoirse]

LL,
Thanks for posting this. It has great information and something we all need to pay close attention to, especially those with children; who are not the only ones susceptable to drowning. With beach/lake/pool parties going on all summer, adults, imho, are more susceptable. Drinking, lots of eating, bravado with jetskis and boating ...all contribute to this preventable tragedy.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun summer!:D

[DJ Urbanovsky]

That's an awesome article.

[Pete]

All kidding aside................

As someone who helped teach a number of Pre-SCUBA Courses.........

You have to keep your eye on kids when they are in the water.

[T-Rock]

I had the honor of nearly being drowned by Michael Edwin Thornton :D

Seriously though, some of the worst ER codes I’ve worked as an RRT have been pediatric drowning / near drowning victims. Once a rhythm returns and they’re stuck on the vent, lung compliance drops to nil which equates to pneumo city due to surfactant washout - have the needle decompression kit handy or someone readily available who’s efficient with placing chest tubes.

So far we’ve been lucky this summer - fingers crossed… :cool:

[Penn]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Thornton

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

I was a Rescue/Recovery Diver for the King County Sheriff's Department from 1956 to 1974. During that time I was involved with the recovery of 200 plus bodies of drowning victims. Most of them were small kids at local lakes in the County.

So, yes I know what drowning looks like!

As many know here the King County area has many lakes as well as Puget Sound. The average temperature in Puget Sound is 48 degrees year round. Most of the lakes are spring fed and can be very cold. Our summer this year has been late in coming and the lakes haven't warmed up much.

People who depend on 'life guards' to watch over their children are fools! Anytime you have a child swimming in a pool, lake or ocean you need to keep your undivided attention on them full time!

[T-Rock]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Thornton

Yep, that’s him :D his "confidence building exercises" and intense physical harassment contributed to untold numbers quitting for fear of drowning :D

People who depend on 'life guards' to watch over their children are fools! Anytime you have a child swimming in a pool, lake or ocean you need to keep your undivided attention on them full time!

Amen Sir!

[LarryW]

Excellent, LL. Timely and very important information.

[Bill Harsey]

LL,
Thank you!
In the part of Oregon near here the McKenzie river (a lot of glacial melt) runs at around 50 degrees F, that's 18 degrees above freezing.
The body count starts anytime now from those that get in inner tubes and swimming pool size play rafts to float the river because of the heat and of course you don't want a life vest because that makes it too hot.

LL and I know the guy who trained the fast water rescue team for that river (Stucky) and the stories he has told about the above.

Trip Wire, that's tough duty.

[Buffalobob]

Phil came home for the Memorial Day weekend and he and I and Cynthia went hiking along Billy Goat Trail along the Potomac below Great Falls. Lots of picnicking and fishing occurs along the Virginia side. We sat up on a rock and watched the rock climbers practicing and discussed how many people drown in that stretch of river every year.

Very sad incident occurred the next day with two people drowning trying to save a soccer ball.

http://www.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Incidents&id=5114

[cetheridge]

LL,

During my 30 plus years as a Federal Park Ranger, I responded to many drowning reports of which I personally retrieved 25 persons from the bottom of lakes using drag hooks...it is a sobering experience. Especially when the victim is a child. Performing CPR on a child is emotional.

For over 10 years I went to schools every Spring to teach Water Safety to thousands of students, emphasizing the Instinctive Drowning Response and dispelling the myth of going under 3 times before drowning.

Thank you for posting the article,
Carl