Drowning Is Silent

Pool Party Season

We’ve been doing quite a bit of backyard hosting this summer. I have something called “Pool Guilt”. I have the pool and I know others don’t and so I compulsively invite people over to swim. Sometimes as one group leaves, another one arrives. Along with the work, it’s lots of fun. It makes for a very social summer for my very social family.  But it can be very dangerous.

More than one child has been fished from my pool this summer. I am sobered and grateful that all of those rescues have happened immediately after the child went in, but the potential was there. Little people get grand ideas of abandoning their cumbersome floaties and swimming like frogs. They act on those ideas faster than you’d imagine. If you have a pool, the potential is there for you too. Watch your pool.

Make Your Pool Safer

Here’s what I mean; focus your attention on the water. Look at it. Don’t make eye contact with the person you are talking to. Talk less. Tell every single person who relaxes next to you in the shade, that you’re not trying to be rude, you’re just trying to keep people from drowning. I’m serious.

I’ve seen rescues happen many times and they have always happened when several adults were sitting and chatting. The adults were right next to the water. They thought they were watching the pool, because they intended to watch it. They all assumed that their caring intent was enough to keep their children safe. It wasn’t and isn’t. Their gaze shifted from the water to the people they were enjoying talking to, and a tiny little face went silently under the water and couldn’t come back up.

Own Your Responsibility For Safety

Do not assume that other children in the pool will notice when one of their friends goes under. Sometimes they do, and I’m so grateful. But I pulled a five-year-old out of my deep-end just last week and she was surrounded by kids twice her size. When I yelled, “Get her!”, as I ran, those same kids looked at me and then at one another. They had no clue and I should never have said a word. I am the adult. I must watch the water. Don’t ever put the responsibility for a child’s life on another child.

Know What Drowning Looks Like

One last thing, drowning doesn’t look or sound like it does in the movies or TV. It’s tempting just to stare at a silent person who’s life is truly in danger and wonder what’s going on. If you’re close to someone who may just be treading water, go ahead and ask if they’re doing ok. If they don’t answer you, get to them in less than 30 seconds. As you scan your pool, look for these signs…

·         Wide eyes looking up or straight ahead but their eyes may have closed

·         An open mouth at or near water level, often with the head tilted back

·         Don’t expect arms to reach out of the water toward you. Their arms will likely be out from their sides or hanging down.

·         A child’s body will likely stay upright as they struggle or they may try to roll onto their back to breath, but not succeed.

·         A person in deep trouble will probably be silent.

 If you see a person bobbing near the surface, taking quick breaths, grab something that floats and get over to them. Don’t wait. Don’t wonder. Go.

 

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