It takes 3m from land and 20 sec to drown!
15.5.2021. At today's celebration of the International Water Safety Day, important organizations remind us the seriousness of the drowning pandemic around the world and recommend safety advices for the general public.
While we are trying to cope with the world pandemic of covid-19, we are approaching the summer season. A number of public health, sport and lifesaving organizations, joined their forces to raise a timely awareness for the general public and to remind how we may protect ourselves from drowning.
The International Water Safety Day (May 15) is a good
opportunity to remember why drowning is a hidden and neglected cause of death.
Some
of its attributes that we
should remember are:
· About 1.2 millions of
intentional fatal deaths by drowning take place each year on the planet, i.e.
one death per 30 sec
(International Life Saving Federation).
· Greece ranks 5th on
fatal drownings within the 28 member states of the European Union (Eurostat
2016) and 39th among 119 countries (World Health Organization 2014).
· In each fatal drowning
death correspond about 4-10 non-fatal that potentially may cause negative
legal, social, personal, family, financial and professional effects to the
victim, family, the aquatic facility, the lifeguard and the government (see
Avramidis, 2009).
· The drowning victim
rarely shouts for "help". The drowning detection by a potential
rescuer requires mainly a visible rather than an audible signal (Pia, 1970).
· If we are not within
arms' reach of our children anytime they are around water, we have gone too far
(Royal Life Saving Society Canada, 2021).
· Submersion lasts about 1 sec for adults and 20 sec for
children (Pia 1970), i.e. as long as it takes to respond to a telephone call or
to send a text message.
· "Internal noises" such as thoughts and emotions may distract
the lifeguard's attention (Griffiths and Griffiths, 2013).
· About 74% of drownings take place in locations in which
there is no help. Precisely, it takes place in unguarded open beaches (65%) and
in guarded beaches while the lifeguard was off duty (9%) (Safe Water Sports and
Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Greece, 2017-2019).
· About 55% of drownings takes place within the first 3m, where the water depth is deeper than the person's height (Stallman, 2008), 90% in the first 10m (Orlowski & Szpilman, 2001) and rarely beyond the 50m from the shore (Surf Life Saving Association Australia, 1985).
The need of the general public to swim in remote
beaches to avoid close contact with others as a protective measure for
covid-19, hides the danger of swimming in unguarded areas or in places that the
lifeguard is off duty. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to apply some
basic safety rules like the following:
·
Always supervise
children in or near water bodies.
·
Swim close to the
coastline.
·
Swim 3 hours after your
last meal.
·
Do not drink alcohol.
·
Do not overestimate your
abilities.
·
Follow lifeguard
instructions.
·
Learn swimming and
lifesaving sport.
· Swim around "Catch a Breath" devices.
This awareness is offered by the following organizations: Greek Lifesaving Sports Association, Water Salvation, Hellenic Olympic Winners Association, Hellenic Olympians Association, Fondazione Giuseppe Sciacca, Instituto di Studi Giuridici Economici e Sociali Internazionali, International Water Safety Day - May 15, Hellenic Navy Seals, Academy - Society and Sports, Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, International Water Safety Foundation.
Source: www.sportlifesaving.blogspot.com
