Safety facts

Drowning statistics

No matter what your age or your swimming skills, you can be made safer near and in the water. Learning to swim is vital, of course, but you must know how to prevent the risk of drowning even before you and especially your children know how to swim.
Alright then. First some facts*, followed by the
safety tips below.

* My source for these statistics is the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Mortality Data (1998). Apologies for the lack of statistics for outside the US.

 

Drowning is the 3rd major cause of unintentional death in the US, and the 2nd major cause of death for people aged 5-44.

 

Who is most likely to drown?

 

 

Where do children drown?

Residential swimming pools account for 60-90% of drownings for children aged 0-4 years. Half of these drownings occur at the child's own home.

 

Children who drown in residential pools had been:

Young children (as well as adults) don't splash, struggle or make noise when in danger in water, and often quickly drown in silence.

How do children drown?

How young children drown depends on their age.
Children younger than 1 year often drown in:

 

Children aged 1-4 are most likely to drown in hot tubs, spas and swimming pools.

Children aged 5-14 most often drown in swimming pools and open water such as rivers, lakes, dams and canals.

 

More statistics:

The Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Injury Prevention & Control

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drown.htm

 

Drowning prevention

As someone fearful of water, you are the last person to go near it without being prepared. But even before you take swimming lessons you can and must drownproof yourself and your family, dear friends.

Water safety tips for all ages:

* Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs or life jackets) must be used in the manner for which they are approved. All USCG-approved PFDs are classified as Type 1, 2, 3, 4 (also 5 but we wont get into those).
Type 1 are used on ocean-going vessels and rarely used in instructional settings. They keep a person upright and slightly backwards and floating for long periods.

Type 2 are made to roll an individual on their back and support in that position. They can be recognized by fully covering the back/chest and usually have a "collar" as well.

Type 2 for infants and children frequently have a crotch strap to keep the PFD from slipping over the head upon impact w/ water.

Type 3 are the ones most often used for water sports and for swimming aids.They are also most affordable. These jackets are made to support an individual in water. These jackets will not roll an individual over onto their back. If the individual is unconscious or does not have head control, the jacket will support the individual, but in a face down position.

Type 4 is a life preserver, either a cushion or ring. This is thrown to a person who needs it until he or she is rescued. Type 4 is not meant for use by children or nonswimmers!

 

Water safety links

 

 

Drowning rescue

Only if you are a trained lifeguard should you attempt a swimming rescue. Even if you know how to swim a little, you are not qualified to rescue another swimmer in trouble unless you have taken a Y, Red Cross or equivalent course in water rescue.
In particular, you are not to jump in the water. Trained lifeguards themselves do this only as a last resort. OK?

 

So what can a nonswimmer do?

You can help out with a "nonswimmers rescue" thusly:

 

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