As local swimming pools and beaches open this June, it's a good time to review the basics of keeping people safe in the water.
Kids ages four and under are especially vulnerable, according to the Journal of Safety Research, but anyone of any age can find themselves in trouble in the water — and it rarely looks dramatic. People don't flail around and yell for help, as you might see on television.
A drowning child may make no movement at all. He could simply sink to the bottom of a pool, arms out to the side. In fact, in 10 percent of child drownings, an adult will be watching the child and have no idea the child is drowning, according to Divers Alert Network. Of the 750 children who drown each year, about half are within 25 yards of an adult.
Noisy swimmers are not usually in a critical situation, although there is a pre-drowning moment when a victim may be able to scream, wave and reach for life-saving equipment — so never ignore thrashing in water.
The Instinctive drowning response has five qualities:
1. No calls for help. Breathing becomes primary and drowning victims will have no chance for speech.
2. Mouths sink below the surface and then reappear. Victims quickly exhale and inhale but have no time to call out as they sink quickly again.
3. Arms extended to the side. Victims press down on the surface to lift mouths out of the water. But they can't wave for help.
4. They can't reach for rescue equipment or move toward a rescuer. They have no voluntary movements.
5. Bodies are upright with no kicking. A drowning person can struggle on the surface between 20 to 60 seconds before totally submerging.
In a boating situation, a person in the water sometimes appears to be treading water. The best way to be sure they are not in trouble is to simply ask them if they are okay. If they don't answer, they are not okay. Experts say rescuers have about 30 seconds to get to them.
A drowning person who is quiet and unmoving in the water may have their head low with water at mouth level. Or their head could be titled back with the mouth open. Eyes may be closed. Hair may be over the eyes or forehead. They may be vertical in the water but not using legs.
A drowning person may also be moving, appearing to slowly climb an invisible ladder. They may be trying to swim, but not getting anywhere. They may try to roll over on their backs.
Watch for these signs and let silence in the water be a warning.
