Identifying Drowning

Hello, I'm the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/

Here's your outdoor tip on identifying drowning.

The warm months of the year bring thousands of adults and children to the pool or lake to enjoy the water.  Unfortunately, sometimes that enjoyment is interrupted by the ordeal of a drowning or near drowning.

The end of this past decade brought 354 fatal unintentional, non-boating drowning’s each year—or about ten deaths per day.  About 1 in 5 people who died were children under 14 years of age.  For every child that died another five received emergency department care for submersion injuries.  80% of the drowning victims were male and the highest drowning rate was for children under 4 in home swimming pools.  Overall, drowning is close to the top of the list as the cause of unintentional death for children behind motor vehicle crashes.  For adults alcohol is often related to drowning with its influence on balance, coordination, and judgment.

In spite of the seriousness of drowning, most people do not even know what a drowning person looks like.  In the movies a person flaps their arms, thrashes about wildly and cries for help.  Unfortunately, that is now what a drowning person usually looks like.  Many times a victim dies with people only a short distance away.  Sometimes the best indicator of someone drowning is that they don’t look like they are drowning.  To be sure, ask them if they are okay.  If they can answer, they are probably okay.  If you get a blank stare, you might have less than 30 seconds to save them.

A drowning person may call for help when first falling into the water, but as soon as the actual drowning begins, she is desperate for air and will be silent.  Arms will be outstretched.  The instinctive drowning behavior could be almost described as calm behavior.

Here are the average characteristics of the drowning person:

1.  Silence—there is no breath to call for help.

2.  Bobbing up and down gasping for a breath at the surface

3.  Arms are stiff and pressed down on the water hoping to keep her body floating

4.  She will not even be able to reach out to grab a life preserver

5.  She will not be kicking.

6.  The body will be almost straight up and down

7.  A drowning person will only have 30-60 seconds before going under water.

8.  If you do not know what is going on, she will probably be gone before you can help.

Even someone who knows how to swim can drown and it will happen fast.  Everyone, adult or child, should never go swimming alone and swimmers must be under constant observation.  Adults use the buddy system.  Always have a responsible adult constantly watching children in the water. Be on the lookout for aquatic distress that may include calling for help and thrashing in the water.  This is the start of trouble before the drowning instinct takes over.  These people can still assist in their own rescue by grabbing lifelines or throw rings.

Again, here are the signs you look for as the actual drowning starts:

1.  Head is low in the water

2.  Mouth is at water level

3.  Head is tilted back with mouth open

4.  Eyes are glassy or closed

5.  Legs are not being used

6.  Gasping begins

7.  Seems to swim in a particular direction with no progress

8.  Tries to roll over on back

9.  Tries to climb invisible ladder

Once drowning occurs when the person can be pulled from the water seconds count.  CPR is important for everyone to know.  CPR performed by bystanders has shown to save lives and improve outcomes for drowning victims.  The sooner it is started, the better the results.  In the time it takes for medical professionals to arrive, your CPR could save someone’s life.

Swimming is a great water sport, but respect for the water is critical.  Understanding the characteristics of drowning can make the difference between life and death for a swimmer in trouble.

This is the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/

References-Additional Reading

Unintentional Drowning: Get the Facts
http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/water-safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html
Drowning doesn’t look like drowning
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html
What drowning really looks like
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/what-drowning-really-looks-like

Check out this episode!