Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

[mikecjn]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Thanks for the post. This is terrific information.

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

I nominate this one for the "sticky hall of fame" too.

Here's something else that folks should learn - its called "drownproofing." Its a very simple technique and it works! It is taught to every recruit in the USCG, while still in boot camp. I truly wish that every parent knew about it and could either teach it to their children, or get someone else to teach it to them.

http://www.drownproofing.com/



???

Yup this works. I had to do it growing up as part of my swimming classes. We had to do the swim for an hour without touching the sides or bottom and this technique comes in very handy and is easy to do. Tell you the truth, I completely forgot about it. Now I'm going to have to teach my kids. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[drrpm]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Good article. In most of the drowning incidents I know of, the victim slipped away quietly and unseen. The other common way to drown is when an inexperienced person attempts a rescue and ends up becoming another victim.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Great post, this article is dead-on accurate and should be read by parents and non-parents alike.

As a former lifeguard for many years...old habits die hard and I'm constantly scanning any water I'm near for the signs mentioned.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Bot are great info. Thanks!

+1 for sticky!

 

[thedillybar]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Bump. I just got this article sent to me from a colleague...very good information!

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Guys, I agree with the sticky part of this post. Thats why I posted this same article a little over a month ago. As it was stated in there Ladyfish has a taken care of it already. Go to the safety section and look towards the bottom and while your there go over the rest of her posts, some very good reading.

 

[jkust]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Further we have a local organization dedicated to the cause of teaching black people how to swim. It is a little know fact that African Americans are unable to swim to the extent that other races are for various reasons. The drowing rate amongst blacks is much higher than other races. I had no idea that was the case before I was exposed to the organization.

 

[QC]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

It is posted in the Boating Safety section ^^^^^^^

Edit: It was the first one in that area and was the impetus for the section, so it is at the bottom . . . This is one of those old threads than can get bumped forever. All good.

 

[Splat]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

This needs to be made a sticky in more than the safety forum. I've never even looked in the safety forum, and I would imagine many others haven't either.

Excellent article.

Bill

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

I didnt know there was a safety section...


Article is spot on though. I almost went to the bottom of the pool at the YMCA as a kid, right in front of the lifeguard. Got tired, was only a few feet from the edge, but I was right in front of a couple of circulation lines from the filtration system. Just couldnt swim against it and started to go down. Didnt make a noise until I started coughing water, then the guard noticed and pulled me out.

 

[YZ165]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

Great Info! As a former lifeguard, and U.S. Navy Surface Rescue Swimmer, I can tell you, this is valuable information! Great Post!

 

[JB]

Re: Drowning doesn't look like Drowning

This thread is in a class all by itself and will be treated as no other post before or since. Even though it is in the Safety Forum and is a duplicate here it will be stuck in both places and closed, so that it doesn't get so long that it is overlooked.

 

[85 Champ]

Drowning Doesnt Look Like Drowning....

Drowning Doesnt Look Like Drowning....

I just saw the article "Drowning Doesnt Look Like Drowning" in the safety section of this forum but couldn't post there for some reason.

I took swim lessons every summer as a kid. And since to me swimming is just natural, as an adult I amazed at the number of people who cant swim. I have rescued 3 people from drowning, one in our backyard pool when i was about 12 years old, one at a party when i was about 22 and one at the lake. None looked like they were drowning at all. As the article says there is no arm flailing and yelling, just a bobbing head and arms and hands coming out of the water. No one else had any idea what was happening either time.

I think the captain of the boat has a responsibility to know what to look for and how to react in the case of a person drowning and that article does a good job of explaining it. Going a step further is how to rescue a drowning person without them drowning you as well.

Obviously a flotation device is the best and the person will pretty much instinctively self rescue when you get the flotation device within their reach.. but if there isnt one near, you have to become their flotation device and the first time it happens you'll be surprised at how unaware that person is when they are frantically trying to stay alive. If no flotation is available to you or them and you have to rescue them, the biggest thing you need to do is grab them preferably from the back and wrap your arm around their chest or stomach and keep both of you above water however you can. Keep their arms free so that when they get their bearings back they will be able to help keep the 2 of you above water. The woman I rescued at the party i grabbed onto from the front and she instinctively latched onto me making it more difficult because i was being bogged down and wasnt able to use my own natural boyancy by make us more horizontal in the water. In deep water you'll have to tread water with your legs and one remaining arm which is is twice as hard as treading water by yourself. Calming them down by telling them its ok and that youve got them will make getting to a safe place much easier.

I just wanted to add this to the forum somewhere.

My 12 year old daughter has already been through years of swim lessons and my 3 year old boy will be starting his second year of swim lessons this summer.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Drowning Doesnt Look Like Drowning....

Re: Drowning Doesnt Look Like Drowning....

good info.
we have a lot of drownings here, where someone is wading and steps into deep water. I cannot understand how they drown when by definition they are one step away from shallow water (no current to speak of). The answer is the panic. the human is about the only animal that will drown right away; animals don't drown unless exhausted or overwhelmed.

 

[Aquaman-PSD]

Re: Drowning Doesnt Look Like Drowning....

Re: Drowning Doesnt Look Like Drowning....

Great Post! I am a rescue and recovery diver for one of the largest, and renowned, (woop woop! ) water rescue teams in the country. Unfortunately my experiences are almost exclusively with people that aren't so lucky. One thing that is an undeniable reality is that every single drowning victim that I have recovered except one has been drunk/high when they went in the water. It is really sad to see how many people can be affected by the bad decision of one person. prior to being a PSD (public safety diver) I was a life guard and one of the first things they taught us is never approach a victim that is being aggressive, and even when they are being calm always approach them from behind. We were always told that if they have enough energy to fight you then they aren't ready to be rescued. The important thing to remember in any water rescue situation is the rescuers life is most important. It is really hard to drag someone to safety when you yourself are under water. Keep your head and keep yourself in the position to make the rescue.

 

[relics hunter]

Great post, I completely agree that it doesn't look with drowning as I saw it personally in myself. I was out scalloping in a local bay area. I usually don't scallop in water deeper then about 4 feet because it harder to see them and more importantly you get tried fast diving down repeatedly to grab them. The tide had started to come back in and my 4 foot water had quickly gone to the point I was on tippy toes to stand. I was just coming up from a dive and when I surfaced a wave hit me and I got a good lung full of saltwater. I was laboring to pull in some air between waves, trying to keep gather enough energy to try to get high enough out of the water to cough and got another wave in the face. I tried to remain calm and made every attempt to get my body up enough to cough, my mind was racing was this the end, no one would see me go down, I was exhausted. Some how I got on to a sand bar and enough of my body out to cough more up and get my strength back. It took just a few moments and I couldn't yell or signal in anyway. It is just like the post says, and easy to miss if you don't know what to look for.

 

[SteveTate]

It was an important post thanks for sharing it.

 

[aspeck]

Relics Hunter, glad you are here to tell your story!

 

[Pat_220v]

epic post beginning this thread.