Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning ( Must Read )
http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/ ^ | Mario

Posted on 07/09/2010 8:16:57 AM PDT by ventanax5

The new captain jumped from the cockpit, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fifty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

(Excerpt) Read more at mariovittone.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: accidentaldeath; coastguard; drowning; firstaid; health; lifeguard; lifeguards; rescue; swimming
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-114 next last
To: frithguild; null and void
Sounds like our economy.

Truly. When I got the ping for this article I thought it was going to be about Zer0's job performance.

61 posted on 07/09/2010 10:15:28 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: ventanax5

I watched a two year old trip into a pool 4 feet deep, not more than 10 feet from a couple adults that had their back towards him. They had no idea he was there in the water until I ran over and grabbed him.

You really do need to keep an eye on the water. It’s a very quiet killer.


62 posted on 07/09/2010 10:18:40 AM PDT by derekr44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ventanax5

I’ll be darned PING ... thank you.


63 posted on 07/09/2010 10:27:14 AM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag (http://www.thepatriotsflag.com - The Patriot's Flag)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ventanax5

I’ve sent this one to my swim club and posted it on FB. Very important information. I nearly drowned (twice) as a youngster, and the time that I remember, it felt like they’re describing. I silently and helplessly felt myself slipping under. I didn’t yell or splash; it was as though I couldn’t do anything to help myself. I never knew it was a normal response.


64 posted on 07/09/2010 10:28:16 AM PDT by Think free or die
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wtc911
OK... it's posts like this that really turn me off of discussion threads.

The actual time that I noticed his struggle and my decision to jump in and my meeting the eyes of the lifeguard all happened within seconds of each other. I'm sure the way I told it sounded like I was casually standing by, but I wasn't.

Also, just as this article points out I wasn't aware of the real signs of a possible drowning. Like I said, I thought maybe he was playing under the surface as kids are want to do.

I hope your question was more inquisitive than critical and if I'm over reacting, I apologize.

65 posted on 07/09/2010 10:29:01 AM PDT by reegs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs
I had lost the fear of drowning I learned as a child and made a serious mistake.

Glad you made it - so you could be here with us. Swimming with large waves is like trying to swim upstream - harder than it looks. And unlike an undertow, there's nothing "smart" you could have done - other than what you did. Again, glad you made it, sickoflibs and thanks for sharing.

My closest was years ago when I almost froze to death. I was working outside for a few hours with water - 20 below zero (not "feels like/wind chill" stuff. but the real temp) - and my brain shut down from the cold and wet. I was a half mile from home - and am lucky I made it.

I felt giddy, happy, mildly drunk, and stupid. If I could pick a way to die - that would be it.

66 posted on 07/09/2010 10:36:33 AM PDT by GOPJ (Bull Conner reincarnated as black man "Eric Holder" approves racist "Panther" voter intimidation.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah

Those Atlantic rip currents and waves can really be dangerous. I’ve been pretty shaken up a few times too. When you get caught up in the breaking waves and rolled and pounded a few times, it can be very disorienting. You don’t know which way is up, or get knocked over repeatedly and ingest more water on the way. I have a lot of respect for (most) Atlantic beach lifeguards. They have a tough job and really need to be on their toes. Most of them are, fortunately.


67 posted on 07/09/2010 10:37:34 AM PDT by Think free or die
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: null and void

thanks!


68 posted on 07/09/2010 10:41:45 AM PDT by tutstar (Baptist Ping List-freepmail me to be included or removed. <{{{><)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: null and void
Excellent post. Thanks for including me.

A high school friend of mine nearly drowned in a swimming pool and he said that, from his perspective, his inhale of water was like flipping a light switch to "off". Everything went black and he recalled nothing until after being revived poolside. IOW, quick and quiet and no one knew anything was wrong till someone, thankfully, noticed him unmoving at the bottom.

69 posted on 07/09/2010 10:47:33 AM PDT by katana (For what is an Irishman ? But a .......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: ventanax5

I recall Neil Boortz saying he could teach a baby to be water safe in minutes (but the parents would freak in the process). Anyone know the technique?


70 posted on 07/09/2010 10:49:25 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (+)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOPJ
RE :” Swimming with large waves is like trying to swim upstream - harder than it looks. And unlike an undertow, there's nothing “smart” you could have done - other than what you did

Upon reflexion it was really bad ; swimming OUT into the waves was easier because I could dive into them, plus I was not tired yet, but coming back tired with them pushing me under over and over was completely different. Even worse is I have little body fat so I have to work to stay a-float so when each wave crashed on me I had difficulty telling which way was back up to air till the water settled, and the next wave pushed me under again. But I forced myself to stay calm rather than panic (as I was thinking of death) and burn my energy that way.

71 posted on 07/09/2010 10:51:20 AM PDT by sickoflibs ( "It's not the taxes, the redistribution is the federal spending=tax delayed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: 2ndreconmarine; Fitzcarraldo; Covenantor; Mother Abigail; EBH; Dog Gone; ...

Ping... (THANKS, nully!)


72 posted on 07/09/2010 11:00:54 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: 2ndreconmarine; Fitzcarraldo; Covenantor; Mother Abigail; EBH; Dog Gone; ...

Ping... (THANKS, nully!)


73 posted on 07/09/2010 11:01:51 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: ventanax5

Good article, but don’t forget to search before you post:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2548926/posts


74 posted on 07/09/2010 11:04:47 AM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly at first.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reegs

My question was inquisitive. I’ve seen people hesitate when another appeared to be in danger and I’ve always wondered why.


75 posted on 07/09/2010 11:06:41 AM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get down that hill?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

As a surfer since 1966 I can confidently say that the way to swim in through large waves is to roll yourself up into a cannonball and let the wave wash you in with it. As soon as you feel it release grab air and take as many strokes in as you can before the next wave, then curl up again. The strokes between waves do not have to be hard, digging strokes, I usually side stroke to conserve energy and keep an eye on the coming wave.


76 posted on 07/09/2010 11:10:53 AM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get down that hill?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe

Thanks for the ping!


77 posted on 07/09/2010 11:12:42 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: wtc911; GOPJ
That is what I did but my times with access to air was very short, all while I was trying to swim and needed air. The waves were coming behind me so It made it difficult to time anything.

My better lesson is “Don't try something dangerous I am not prepared for physically. “ Like those beginners that died on Mt Everest in the snow storm because they delayed and didnt turn back.

The thing is I love open water swimming when I am prepared. I love swimming miles almost endlessly without getting tired(I would get sea-sick before tired) . It is a great feeling. At the same time I can see how people drown. It was close.

78 posted on 07/09/2010 11:22:45 AM PDT by sickoflibs ( "It's not the taxes, the redistribution is the federal spending=tax delayed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs; little jeremiah

I literally almost drowned as a kid so I know what they are talking about.

And then in 1993 I did something really stupid. I had a sail boat out in the Bay of San Francisco at end of March and there is one other person on the boat (good thing he could sail).

Anyway we were running downwind in about 22 knots of wind so you have some good wave action (swells with smaller waves on them) and I had the motor out of the well because I wanted to see how fast the boat would go.

Well I was dragging the main sail over to the other side to run ‘wing and wing’ and when the wind caught it it threw me off the boat into the ice cold water and I had no life preserver on. The water is so cold that if you are not used to it that you will gasp for air, and I went down about 10-15 feet. It took everything I had not to gasp and when I came back up for that first breath of air there are those waves slapping me in the face.

I was out in the water for 7 minutes and my friend had to make 2 passes to get a life preserver to me and one pass to get me in the boat (which happened very quick after got the preserver to me) getting on was very difficult because I was exhausted and he could not get the boat to stop because of the high wind so I was being drug along the side of it, but we got me in.

I lost interest in sailing for awhile and sold the boat that autumn. I did still go down to the marina and hang out on the boat while I still had it though ;)

The story is legendary at my workplace out there and they still talk about it even though I left the Bay area in 1997.


79 posted on 07/09/2010 11:27:29 AM PDT by valkyry1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: valkyry1

I am so glad you were saved and can tell the story.


80 posted on 07/09/2010 11:45:43 AM PDT by little jeremiah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-114 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson