A Summer Swim

As summer nears, thoughts turn to playing at the pool or the beach but did you know that drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death between the ages of 5 and 24? A backyard swimming pool is 100 times more deadly to children than a gun at home! Swimming lessons are available for all ages - even infants! Teach your children to swim today - it may save a life.

Every Cub Scout is taught to "Buddy up!" when swimming. Always swim with a partner, every time — whether you're swimming in a backyard pool or in a lake. Even experienced swimmers can become tired or get muscle cramps, which might make it difficult to get out of the water. When people swim together, they can help each other or go for help in case of an emergency.

When swimming, watch out for the dangerous “too’s” – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, and too much sun activity. Never swim so far into a lake or ocean that you haven't enough energy left for the swim back. Body temperature can drop quickly in water. If a child is shivering or experiencing muscle cramps, get him or her out of the water immediately.

Don't assume that a child who knows how to swim isn't at risk for drowning. All kids need to be supervised in the water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. Set water safety rules for the whole family based on swimming abilities. For example, inexperienced swimmers should stay in water less than chest deep or be required to wear a life jacket.

Surviving a Waterfall

“At last, fortissimo!”
- composer/conductor Gustav Mahler on visiting Niagara Falls

Here's news you can use if you find yourself going over the edge of a waterfall. Much depends on the height of the falls, landing feet first, tightening body muscles, and dumb luck.

On August 14 a college student posing for a photo was swept from the guardrails at Niagara Falls and plunged over the waterfall. She has not been found. In July three people died at Yosemite Park as one person went too far for a photo and two would-be rescuers were all swept over a waterfall.

The odds of surviving a waterfall are not good.  Niagara is 180 ft tall while the world record for a high dive is 177 ft. For a trained athlete in perfect health, under perfect conditions, 177 ft is about the most a human body can withstand. As diver enters the water, their underwater body parts are at the highest rate of deceleration while the upper body is still dry and at full acceleration. Autopsies of jumpers off the Golden Gate bridge (250 ft) shows that for most, the rib cage was crushed and imploded sending bones into the lungs with the force of impact.

If you fall into the water above the falls, don't try to fight the current. The rapids above Niagara are clocked at 25 mph, and up to 68 mph over the brink. The best you can hope for is swimming towards shore before going over. Or swimming to a rock and hanging on although the force of the water may drag you off.

As you fall take a deep breath. Go feet first to avoid head injury. Tighten your muscles, wrap your arms around your skull to shield it, and cover your nose with the crook of your elbow. Just before you enter the plunge pool, press your legs together, tighten your gluteals (stomach) and close your eyes and mouth to make yourself water tight.

If you manage to fall onto water instead of rocks, and survive the impact, the fight for survival is not over. There's a wall of water falling upon you pushing you back down. There's debris to dodge. There are huge bubbles of air making it tricky to swim and to see. With all the turbulence and bubbles it may not be obvious what direction is up. If you do manage to surface downstream from the falls you must survive one more danger - the water is very likely icy cold. Niagara's waters are in the 30's (Fahrenheit). At that temperature you have only minutes before passing out from hypothermia. With water at 40 F you have 15 - 30 minutes to get dry and warm.

Bottom Line

Waterfalls are beautiful and I especially love Niagara Falls. But they are never safe. NEVER go past guard rails to get a better photo. Do not get close to the water for a better view at the top.

Drowning

“We are drowning in information and starved for knowledge.” - unknown

Each year, almost 8,000 Americans die from drowning. Of those nearly drowned, 70% recover, 25% die, and 5% have permanent brain damage. Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4 and the second-leading cause of death in children 14 and under. The sooner the rescue and first aid begins, the greater the victim's chance of survival. However do not endanger yourself in rescuing the victim during this process.

A person in the water may be drowning if they show signs of distress, can't stay above water, swims unevenly, signals for help, etc.

How to respond to a Near Drowning

• Notify a lifeguard. If the swimming area is unsupervised and you’re alone, then call 9-1-1 BEFORE jumping in to rescue. Otherwise you might become the second drowning victim with no one to rescue you.
  
• A drowning person is desperate. If you toss a rope or use a stick you might get pulled in the water. If you swim out (a last resort) a panicked victim may grab hold and pull you down. Swim out with a flotation device and approach the person from behind. Grab a piece of the person's clothing. Don’t let them grab you.
  
• When getting the person out of the water, support the head and neck. Suspect a neck injury around rocks, water sports, and swimming pool diving areas.

The primary focus of first aid for a near-drowning victim is to get oxygen into the lungs without aggravating any suspected neck or spine injury.

• Check for a response. (Ask, “Are you OK? May I assist you with first aid?”)
  
• No response gives implicit permission to begin first aid. Call 9-1-1 if you haven’t yet. Give Rescue Breaths and CPR, as needed. Strong swimmers with lifeguard training may begin the rescue breaths while still in the water.
  
• If the airway is obstructed and rescue breaths are not working, ONLY then perform the Heimlich maneuver. DO NOT perform the Heimlich maneuver just to force “bad” water out. An unneccessary Heimlich maneuver can cause an unconscious person to vomit and choke on the vomit.

Don't assume it's too late to save a life -- even if the person is unresponsive. Continue performing CPR and do not stop until medical professionals take over.

• If the person is conscious but weak, confused or lethargic, then put them in the Recovery Position. A bloated, water-filled abdomen may lead to vomiting and choking. Clear his or her mouth if necessary. Make sure 9-1-1 is on the way.
  
• Another danger sign is blue lips and ears and the skin is cold and pale.
  
• If possible remove cold, wet clothes and cover the person with a blanket to prevent hypothermia. This applies to everyone.
  
• Stay with the person until medical personnel have arrived or they are taken to a doctor.

Even someone with no symptoms after a near drowning should be observed in the emergency department for 6-12 hours and should follow up with a doctor in 1-3 days. Secondary drowning can occur when a victim appears fine but in reality has a small amount of fluid in their lungs. The person may “drown” several hours later as the fluid damages the interior lung lining. A ten-year-old can die with just four ounces of water in the lungs.

• After the incident, if the recovered victim develops a fever, cough or muscle pains, take them to an emergency room.

Bottom Line

Did you know a small child can drown in just 2 inches of water? This makes bathtubs, sinks, buckets, toilets and pools unsafe for unsupervised toddlers.

Resources

http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=1468

http://firstaid.webmd.com/drowning-treatment

http://www.parents.com/baby/health/first-aid-emergencies/first-aid-for-drowning/;jsessionid=0HWLDKMD0NF5SCQCEAQB42Q?page=2

http://www.firstaidtopics.com/secondary-drowning/

http://www.indianchild.com/first_aid_for_drowning.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000046.htm

Healthy Swimming Pools

“If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do all the rest have to drown too?”~Steven Wright

One of the joys of summer is swimming in the town pool. But after reading the CDC site on Healthy Pools I’m not sure I want to go into the water. “Be afraid, be very afraid.”

The past two decades have seen a rise in Recreational Water Illness (RWI). RWIs are illnesses that are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water in pools or lakes. The cause may be germs, bacteria or viruses and the most frequent symptom is diarrhea.

Diarrhea is also the most likely cause of RWI. If someone has “an accident” in the pool, millions of germs are released. Chlorine (assuming the proper level has been maintained) will kill most germs in under 30 minutes but some, like Crypto, can survive for days in pool water. Another source of germs is dirty bottoms – how many people wash their butt when taking the mandatory pre-pool shower? Yet another source is dirty diapers from infants in the pool or diapers changed at poolside and the germs carried into the water on someone’s feet.

Here are the CDC’s recommendations to prevent RWIs:

• Don’t swim if you have diarrhea (especially children & infants)
• Takes kids to the bathroom frequently. Change diapers in the bathroom.
• Don’t swallow pool water
• Wash your child’s behind in the shower and practice good hygiene.

Bottom Line

How can you tell if a pool is clean and safe? Here are some signs of pool cleanliness:

• Sight: Clean water is clear and blue. You should be able to see the drain and painted stripes at the bottom of the pool. Dirty water is cloudy.
• Touch: Tiles should not feel sticky or slimy or slippery. The water should not stick to your fingers.
• Smell: If you detect a strong “chlorine” smell then the pool is full of chloramines and the actual chlorine level may be low (i.e. used up). The smelly chloramines are created when chlorine combines with body oil, urine, sweat and other contaminants brought in by swimmers. This indicates that the water is not circulating quickly enough for the volume of swimmers in the pool.
• Sound: Ask your pool operator how often the chlorine and pH levels are checked.