Blacks are overrepresented in drownings because their parents did not teach them to have a healthy respect for the water, particularly if those same parents never taught them to swim. I’m sure it’s also part of the different IQ distribution and the lower percentage of blacks that can swim as well. There are black kids who know they can’t swim who nevertheless get into the water and drown every year, particularly in the warm months. That bit really bothers me because if you can’t swim, you have no business near the water.
I was a very strong championship swimmer and lifeguard when I was in high school and still a lifeguard in my early 20s. Then, I was okay with a struggling person because I was in the water every day and had a lot of endurance. Now, if I was in a situation like this I would throw a rope if I had one and even get close to do so but I would never attempt a physical rescue. Drowning people have a habit of trying to drown their rescuer. I’ve experienced it once and it’s scary (remembered part of my lifeguard training which was to start punching the person if they did that...it worked).
(remembered part of my lifeguard training which was to start punching the person if they did that...it worked).