Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning <READ THIS PLEASE!>

[tdonoughue]

This is required reading for everyone, but especially captains. And now that some are getting some warmer weather already...

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

And good to revisit periodically. I know it is already among the long tips and tricks list, but IMHO it deserves its own post. Perhaps a nice admin can sticky?

 

[Dave]

Very good information to have. Thanks for posting

 

[Julian]

Yup....this is indeed a good thing to look at!

 

[Impelled]

I send that out yearly on FB to my friends. The beginning story gave me chills. To think he was 5 ft from his daughter and didn't notice. Good one to share!

 

[itsdgm]

Great reminder, thanks.

 

[tdonoughue]

@Impelled , yes the story is chilling. I was about 2 feet from my son. Not even. Fortunately my friends at the pool were more alert than I was, and it was all good. But damn scary.

 

[rkluck]

That is a great reminder and thanks for sharing.

 

[Julian]

Made a "sticky" for the spring boating prep season! Seriously, if you haven't read this.....DO IT NOW!

 

[primedoc]

This is required reading for everyone, but especially captains. And now that some are getting some warmer weather already...

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

And good to revisit periodically. I know it is already among the long tips and tricks list, but IMHO it deserves its own post. Perhaps a nice admin can sticky?

Thanks for the info. I very nearly drowned as a kid after getting a leg tangled in rope that went through eyelets around one of those rectangle floats that people used to float on. I fought and fought to come to the surface and knew that I only had one shot left in me. Very close to the end of that last struggle my toes barely scraped the sandy bottom and I knew that if I kept fighting I could make it. Finally, when I got back to my parents and other adults on the beach they all said "what's wrong with you?" I said I just nearly died / drowned (20 feet away). They all said "well why didn't you yell?" "Cause I was underwater and fighting to stay alive is why!!" One woman said "she thought she heard someone coughing a little" and that was the only sound made until I got enough traction in the sandy bottom to make it back to the surface. Of course I was coughing my lungs up once I got out of the water. I still don't think any of the adults really ever realized how close I really came to drowning simply because it was so quite and non-violent from the surface...all the while I was fighting like a wounded animal under the surface in an effort to live. I was probably 7 or 8 years old then.

 

[Julian]

@primedoc I "like"'d your post, but that isn't really the right word is it! Good to get the word out....Captains keep an eye on ALL your guests!

 

[Cotay]

That is definitely important information that I must admit I did not know. I've forwarded this link on to my family...they all watch my kids from time to time and need to understand this information. Thank you very much!

It makes me ill to think about those parents who have lost their children in this manner...especially within reach of saving them.

 

[Julian]

Edited title....(its also in the FAQ in BOLD)....read this if you haven't, and share with your family and friends.

 

[Bennie]

@tdonoughue - I can't thank you enough for the information that you have provided. I have never seen that article before and am very grateful to have it now in my arsenal.

I am a safety coach for an offshore platform and look forward to being able to relay this information further onto my team and hopefully safe a life with its knowledge.

 

[BigVish]

Thanks for posting!

 

[Slugger55]

Awesome refresher!

 

[Unreal Yammi]

I shared this article and one I found about pool drains (http://content.newsbound.com/public/zac/zac_found/index.html#s_1 ) on my FB page yesterday. I am a council member in my city and also shared it on that page as a public service also. I have many times passed over reading the article and the accompanying video but was motivated by the recent tragedy my neighbor suffered unfortunately ending in his drowning.
In talking to his family (before I read this article)who were there I recall them speaking of him exhibiting many of the exact behaviors, many uncontrolled, that are described in the article. That motivated me to the action of sharing the article.

 

[itsdgm]

I shared this article and one I found about pool drains (http://content.newsbound.com/public/zac/zac_found/index.html#s_1 ) on my FB page yesterday. I am a council member in my city and also shared it on that page as a public service also. I have many times passed over reading the article and the accompanying video but was motivated by the recent tragedy my neighbor suffered unfortunately ending in his drowning.
In talking to his family (before I read this article)who were there I recall them speaking of him exhibiting many of the exact behaviors, many uncontrolled, that are described in the article. That motivated me to the action of sharing the article.

Great article @Unreal Yammi this is a discussion that I have with my kids when using hotel pools.

We have a swimming pool and in ground spa in our back yard. I remember asking the contractor several things about how to prevent a drain entrapment. It turns out that In our area, not only is it code to have drain covers that are designed to prevent this, but we are also required to have two separate drains for each suction return. So they installed two in the spa and four in the pool (two for the pool return and two for a water feature). It really does make a difference because you can hardly feel any suction when you put a foot on the drain. So if anybody's building a swimming pool, keep that in mind.

Thanks again for posting this Unreal Yammi.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

And part of that system is a vent stack to allow air to be sucked in if for some crazy reason the drain covers do get sealed by a body.

 

[Devildog]

Thanks for sending this out. My wife thinks that I am a pseudo-freak because when we have new people on the boat, I go through a quick safety briefing. Location of life jackets, floating cushion, fire ext., etc. It's kinda cool because my 16 year old started giving the briefing to her friends when they come onboard. Of course, she uses terms that are for the younger generation, so it lands a little better than the old man . But I am going to add the drowning signs to the briefing as I have not been covering this.

Thx again.

 

[Gym]

I do a very similar briefing when I have newbies on the boat. I make sure they know where the wearable life jackets are and where the throwable life preservers are. I explain if anybody goes overboard they should throw them a life preserver unless it's me in the water. Then they are instructed to throw me a cold beer. I also show them how the cut-off safety clip kills the motors. Most pay better attention to me than to a flight attendant.