SELF-HELP PREVENTION: DROWNING
What is it?
Drowning occurs when a person’s lungs become affected by water so that he or she cannot breathe. It is often fatal. Although only a few hundred people drown each year in all western countries almost all are preventable. Three-quarters of all drownings occur in inland waters (lakes, streams, brooks and ponds), and domestic paddling pools are a real hazard. Three-quarters of those who drown are males.
Although the lives of many are saved because they can swim the ability to swim is not enough to prevent drowning. Many people who drown had no intention of going anywhere near water.
What causes it?
• Ignorance or disregard of danger. Water can be much deeper than it looks and conditions in open water cannot be compared with those in a swimming pool. Even a confident swimming-pool swimmer can find such water a surprise.
• Access to danger is a constant problem. Fences are broken, warning notices pulled down, and home pools unfenced.
• Poor supervision. Young children should never be left alone near water-they can drown in a couple of minutes and in a few inches of water.
Prevention
• Never let young children out of your sight when you are near water or deep mud.
• Empty paddling pools after use.
• Keep swimming pools fenced off and covered in the winter.
• Never leave a child alone in a bath while you go away to answer the phone, or the front door.
• Fence off garden ponds and check that a child can’t get into water butts.
• Never change or remove warning notices to do with water.
• Leave life-buoys alone in their proper place-you never know when they will be needed.
• Always wear a life-jacket when boating, even if you are a strong swimmer.
• Never fool about near, or run around, swimming pools.
• Never dive into the shallow end of a pool.
• Learn to swim really well and confidently.
• Look before you jump into a pool.
• Ensure that cess-pit covers are safe from small children.
• Beware of home-made rafts and boats-they usually sink quickly and are very dangerous.
• Don’t play in or around gravel-works, excavations or reservoirs.
• Keep off frozen reservoirs and lakes.
• When at the seaside find out the times of the tides and be sure you don’t get trapped.
• Never swim immediately after a heavy meal.
• Don’t sleep on inflatables – you could drift out to sea.
*140/72/5*
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Tags: General health