Posted on June - 24 - 2011
Healthy Memphis: Drown-proof your environment to prevent tragedies
What you should know
Drowning might be more likely that you think. Drowning can happen very quickly, even in just one inch of water.
Drowning can happen in many places. Of course a fall into a pool or from a boat is a common cause, but there are many other risks. A falling adult who bumps his head in the shower can drown. Babies have drowned in mop buckets and toilets! A person fully clothed in the water might be a sign of an accidental fall, an alcohol or drug-related fall, or a suicide attempt. Children who play around ditches, culverts, drains and levees are also at very high risk.
People who are drowning cannot easily yell for help. They might be silently sinking — not thrashing around, splashing and gasping.
Immediate action can be lifesaving or prevent long-term brain damage from suffocation under water.
Adults in their 30s and 40s, especially men are most likely to drown. Drowning often occurs less than 10 feet away from safety. Alcohol is sometimes involved in drowning incidents.
Many people have not learned to swim. A high number of African-Americans have never had the opportunity to learn to swim due to the lack of accessible swimming pools or lakes. More than 20 percent of adults who plan to swim, boat or fish in the summer cannot swim well, according to a Red Cross survey.
Some people who are almost drowning could have a neck or spinal injury from falling. Special care is needed during the rescue process to avoid nerve damage and crippling moves.
What you should do
Make your tub or shower as safe as possible to prevent slips. Use nonslip mats, or apply rough safety strips inside your tub or shower. Install grip handles on one or more walls of the bath for added balance to reduce the risk of falls.
Learn to swim. You are never too old to learn.
If you are going to use a pool, boat, or be around lakes, rivers or streams, take a water safety course. Use child-protective equipment and closely supervise children. Keep safety devices like vests and poles handy.
Know the signs of someone who is in distress in the water. Extend a long pole or branch, or toss a throw rope tied to a floating object like a life ring. Call for emergency medical assistance immediately.
If you have been trained in water rescue, be extra careful, and avoid putting yourself at risk. Some trained people are out of shape or are still unable to rescue due to rushing, murky or icy water.
Never leave any large open liquid containers untended such as buckets, baths, toilets and pools, without special precautions.
Make your bath areas safe. Take a small child wrapped in a towel with you when you rush to the phone or door. Don’t rely on an older child to watch a child. Secure toilet lids with a baby-proof locking device when toddlers are around. Close bathroom doors to prevent babies and pets from going there unsupervised. Don’t use bathtub seats or baby bath rings without an adult present. A seat can turn over, or a baby can slip out of the support.
Dump water from wading pools, and hang them up, or store them upside down. Remove pool toys from the pool area after swims to keep little ones from returning to the pool to retrieve them.
Avoid swimming alone. Also don’t horse around near pools, docks and boats; this behavior can lead to accidents.
Don’t let water wings, life vests, inflatable rafts and chairs, and floating devices become a substitute for essential and constant supervision at pools and other swimming sites.
Lock pool gates and doors as needed to keep someone or a pet from entering an untended pool. Pool fences of 4 feet or higher should surround all sides of a pool; gates should self-close, self-latch and lock. These precautions can help to prevent unsupervised use of the pool area.
Teach babysitters and older children about your rules for bath and pool safety and other water safety expectations.
Learn how to spring into action if someone appears to be drowning and what to do if you are rescuing or caring for someone who almost drowned. It is smart to learn rescue breathing, CPR, have emergency contact information and other life-saving tactics in advance.
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