Good article on spotting people who might be drowning
- Thread starter JasonLion
- Start date
My family and I were on vacation a few years back, and headed for the hotel outdoor pool to kick back about 9pm one night. We settled in an area of lounge chairs at one end of the pool opposite a couple of Japanese gals on vacation at the other. The looked like young teens and were joined a bit later by another younger brother and older sister. Not really paying attention, just having a beer...........and I noticed the oldest girl just standing on the bottom of the deep end of the pool opposite from me. The other 3 were just sitting and standing at pools edge pointing at her--------ok, they're playing. She stays down---arms just reaching straight up, legs not moving....no screaming or noise from the others. I watch one BIG bubble of air come up and shes' still standing on bottom. Instinct and 5 years of lifeguarding, teaching swimming lessons, Boy Scout and WSI training kicked in. Ran to the deep end, dropped straight to the bottom, crouched down, grabbed her, and launched upwards. All ended well. I'm still haunted by none of her friends/relatives hollering, screaming, coming for help etc. They spoke not one word of English and I sure don't speak Japanese.
My personal pool is only 4 feet deep, but I still have a ring buoy on hand and a shepherds' crook insert in my pool pole when anyone is in but us.
Do you?
Reach--------Throw-------Go!
My personal pool is only 4 feet deep, but I still have a ring buoy on hand and a shepherds' crook insert in my pool pole when anyone is in but us.
Do you?
Reach--------Throw-------Go!
Being a near-drowning victim myself - I can appreciate this article. Thanks Jason for posting it.
I learned to swim at 6 yrs old (50+ years ago) - I swam in Lake Michigan (and various other "smaller" ponds) as well as the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. I swam competitively through the 9th grade (Cincinnati Marlins). Yet just one incident in an indoor hotel pool surrounded by friends and family at a 30-something birthday party - I almost drowned. NOBODY recognized that I was in trouble. I managed to recover on my own ... and NOBODY believed me when I told them how close I was to going down. I think this article needs to be posted someplace where everyone that visits this site sees it. IMHO.
Sorry for the rant ... but this is an important safety issue - and not because it's personal - I read all too often in the local paper this time of year where a visitor to our area on vacation goes home in a box ... usually due to the lack of knowledge of the beach flag system we have here - but mostly that no one knows they're in trouble until it's too late.
I'll step down from my soapbox now ....
Mike
I learned to swim at 6 yrs old (50+ years ago) - I swam in Lake Michigan (and various other "smaller" ponds) as well as the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. I swam competitively through the 9th grade (Cincinnati Marlins). Yet just one incident in an indoor hotel pool surrounded by friends and family at a 30-something birthday party - I almost drowned. NOBODY recognized that I was in trouble. I managed to recover on my own ... and NOBODY believed me when I told them how close I was to going down. I think this article needs to be posted someplace where everyone that visits this site sees it. IMHO.
Sorry for the rant ... but this is an important safety issue - and not because it's personal - I read all too often in the local paper this time of year where a visitor to our area on vacation goes home in a box ... usually due to the lack of knowledge of the beach flag system we have here - but mostly that no one knows they're in trouble until it's too late.
I'll step down from my soapbox now ....
Mike
Jason, thanks for posting this.
I would like to see this article become part of pool school.
I would like to see this article become part of pool school.
I have sent this around to everyone I know that has a pool.
My daughter was a baby when she nearly drowned. We were sitting in the pool on the step, she was playing, I was taking to a friend and drinking, there was a party going on. She slipped from the top step to the second step. I turned and noticed she was under the water. She just sat there, could have stood up and been fine but she just sat on the step looking up through the water. She was not down long enough to be bothered it seemed, but I sure was upset at how close that was. That dear daughter, she had so many close calls. Hug your kids every day and tell them you love them, you never know what is coming next.
My daughter was a baby when she nearly drowned. We were sitting in the pool on the step, she was playing, I was taking to a friend and drinking, there was a party going on. She slipped from the top step to the second step. I turned and noticed she was under the water. She just sat there, could have stood up and been fine but she just sat on the step looking up through the water. She was not down long enough to be bothered it seemed, but I sure was upset at how close that was. That dear daughter, she had so many close calls. Hug your kids every day and tell them you love them, you never know what is coming next.
I have a good friend that lost his daughter. I think she was about 2 years old, this happened around 2001-2003. They had a small kiddie pool in the backyard, mom took a nap at the same time as the daughter, he was at work. The little girl managed to get out of her room and into the pool. WATCH YOUR KIDS AROUND THE POOL!!!
My son and another little girl did the same thing when they were around 2 years old playing in the public kiddie pool. Water was about 18" deep, just enough so that if they sat down it covered the top of their heads. I stayed within arm's reach of them the whole time we were there and its a good thing I did. Several times they would fall and go under and just quietly sit there on the bottom until I pulled them back to their feet. No panic, no distress. It must be some sort of danger instinct that makes them do that! This is the same kid that would have a screaming fit if water got on his face in the bathtub! Had I not seen it I never would have believed that they would sit there so calmly.
anonapersona said:
I just found this and read it, and it just sends a shiver to the soul. I agree this needs to be prominently displayed, not to scare but really to educate. We're so accustomed to what we see on TV, where in real life it is very different.
Jason, please post in pool school, on the home page, anywhere it can get as many views as possible. To me, and I think others will agree, this is more important than any other aspect of owning a pool, maintaining water, etc. Folks should enjoy their pool to the fullest, but be as educated as you can cause drowing DOES happen, and the more educated you can be the better.
That old quote with great power comes great responsibility is echoing in my mind for some reason right now, not sure why, I guess if you have a pool it's a great privilege you should enjoy, but as safely as possible. Don't let the dark side (drowning) scare you away from it, empower yourself with knowledge, make sure you've made it as safe as possible, have educated everyone you can, and then make peace with the knowledge you've done everything you can to prevent this horrible thing.
Stepping away from the soapbox now, I don't post alot, I'll go back to lurking lol, but this just really rang deep so I felt the need to comment.
Jason, please post in pool school, on the home page, anywhere it can get as many views as possible. To me, and I think others will agree, this is more important than any other aspect of owning a pool, maintaining water, etc. Folks should enjoy their pool to the fullest, but be as educated as you can cause drowing DOES happen, and the more educated you can be the better.
That old quote with great power comes great responsibility is echoing in my mind for some reason right now, not sure why, I guess if you have a pool it's a great privilege you should enjoy, but as safely as possible. Don't let the dark side (drowning) scare you away from it, empower yourself with knowledge, make sure you've made it as safe as possible, have educated everyone you can, and then make peace with the knowledge you've done everything you can to prevent this horrible thing.
Stepping away from the soapbox now, I don't post alot, I'll go back to lurking lol, but this just really rang deep so I felt the need to comment.
Wow... I've only witnessed lifeguards stop a wave pool once to rescue someone, and in that instance it was easy to see the struggle but with the waves going difficult to reach the person until the waves were quickly stopped.
I have a healthy fear of the water but have never considered or known the "silence" in drowning. I had swimming lessons when I was growing up which included basic life saving techniques but the were not good about describing a drowning victim.
So glad to have come across this article. With the beginning of our second season of pool time, I feel better equipped for the warning signs. Thanks!
I have a healthy fear of the water but have never considered or known the "silence" in drowning. I had swimming lessons when I was growing up which included basic life saving techniques but the were not good about describing a drowning victim.
So glad to have come across this article. With the beginning of our second season of pool time, I feel better equipped for the warning signs. Thanks!
Bumping this in an effort to make everyone's swim season a safe one!
I hope that all members and guests will take time to read the article. It is important!
Happy swims
I can relate...
While vacationing at Disney Ft Wilderness campground, I had my family at the somewhat crowded pool. My daughter was not a strong swimmer, so I had her in a lifejacket. as I waited for her to come down a waterslide that emptied into about 4ft of water, a small child came down.
She was probably no more than 5, and not in the slightest a strong or husky kid; a waif. She hit the water and popped up sputtering. I had placed myself in the outflow at a distance where my kid would easily flow to me in the current, but when I saw this I started moving.
I wasnt alone in seeing this, the lifeguard had spotted it as well. As I moved towards the kid I watched the lifeguard. While I would not let the child drown, I am somewhat hesitant about grabbing someone else's kid without some "cover". These aint the good ole days!
The lifeguard and I connected eyes, and she blew the whistle and jumped in. I snatched the kid up and reassured her as the lifeguard swam up for the handoff.
The parents...they were completely shocked. They were completely unaware. That lifeguard gave them quite a talking to.
I felt good about helping out in a situation that could have gone badly; but the lifeguard did her job well, and I saved the kid from a few extra sputters and who knows, maybe...
Parents, watch your kids, and other folks's kids as well. Thankfully I can only dream about what could have happened, and how it would have affected me, even though it wasnt my kid.
While vacationing at Disney Ft Wilderness campground, I had my family at the somewhat crowded pool. My daughter was not a strong swimmer, so I had her in a lifejacket. as I waited for her to come down a waterslide that emptied into about 4ft of water, a small child came down.
She was probably no more than 5, and not in the slightest a strong or husky kid; a waif. She hit the water and popped up sputtering. I had placed myself in the outflow at a distance where my kid would easily flow to me in the current, but when I saw this I started moving.
I wasnt alone in seeing this, the lifeguard had spotted it as well. As I moved towards the kid I watched the lifeguard. While I would not let the child drown, I am somewhat hesitant about grabbing someone else's kid without some "cover". These aint the good ole days!
The lifeguard and I connected eyes, and she blew the whistle and jumped in. I snatched the kid up and reassured her as the lifeguard swam up for the handoff.
The parents...they were completely shocked. They were completely unaware. That lifeguard gave them quite a talking to.
I felt good about helping out in a situation that could have gone badly; but the lifeguard did her job well, and I saved the kid from a few extra sputters and who knows, maybe...
Parents, watch your kids, and other folks's kids as well. Thankfully I can only dream about what could have happened, and how it would have affected me, even though it wasnt my kid.
I live in the Algarve region of Portugal, a hugely touristic area in the summer, with people from all over Europe coming to enjoy their summer holidays here. Every year children drown in the most innocuous of circumstances. I gave my daughters a little lesson after reading that link, especially the bit about not trying to rescue someone unless you have a float of some type. I know even a small child could drown me if I went to rescue and they had reached that "do or die" stage.
Bumping again 
Zea reminded me with her secondary drowning post 
I'd still love to see this article, and others on drowning, in a Pool School article.
Zea reminded me with her secondary drowning post I'd still love to see this article, and others on drowning, in a Pool School article.
Similar threads
