Spring break has started for many students, which is why water safety should be at the forefront of people’s minds, according to Habersham County Emergency Services.
“We really want to encourage parents, grandparents, chaperones, anyone who’s around a group of kids or teenagers to be aware of the potential [water] dangers,” Spokesperson Rob Moore said.
Other than birth defects, drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages one to four; And for every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency care for nonfatal submersion injuries, according to the American Red Cross.
“It’s just so preventable,” Moore said. “I mean, yes, accidents are going to happen. But if we’re paying close enough attention, as adults, the magnitude of that can be minimized because you see when that child or teen gets into trouble.”
A ‘water watcher’ is recommended to be on duty at all times while children are swimming or playing near water, Moore said in alignment with the American Red Cross. A water watcher’s sole duty is to focus on what is happening in and around the water without any distractions, he said.
“That means no texting, no watching videos on your phone, or doing anything else but watching the ones who are playing around you and stopping any potentially dangerous activities, like horseplay,” Moore said. “After 15, 20 or 30 minutes, that adult can hand off their duties to another adult.”
The American Red Cross provided a printer-friendly water watcher card on its website. The card may be printed, laminated or placed inside a plastic sleeve, hole-punched, strung with yarn and worn like a necklace to remind the designated water watcher of his or her duties.
A water watcher is defined as someone who is at least 16 years old; has necessary skills and knowledge to recognize a water rescue; knows CPR or can immediately alert someone nearby who does; has a phone to dial 911; has a flotation device; and is alert and free from drugs, alcohol and distractions, according to the American Red Cross.
“That person should know the signs of someone in distress in the water. There is such a thing as silent drowning and it’s not always like what you see in movies,” Moore said. “Sometimes water is taken in [by the lungs] and the person simply, quietly goes under water.”
According to Healthline, drowning victims are suffocated once water is entered into the lungs. The lungs are then weighed down and oxygen is no longer delivered to the heart. If a person is submerged after breathing in water for 4 to 6 minutes without CPR, brain damage will occur and death is not far behind.
“Those seconds of being observed and getting to that person can mean the difference between life and death or the difference between life and a life that’s inhibited by brain damage and other illnesses that can happen as a result of water being taken in,” Moore said.
Children, as well as adults who are not considered strong swimmers, should take extra precaution and wear a life jacket while in and around water. At the bare minimum, the designated water watcher should always have a flotation device suitable for all water rescues, Moore said.
“Whether you’re on a boat, at the pool, or at a lake, if somebody does get out there and gets tired [or needs emergency assistance] you have some kind of throwable cushion float that will hold [any victim’s] weight,” Moore said. “It’s a little harder to find [ a float] you can throw to an adult but they’re out there and they’re worth the investment, because as a dad myself, I can’t imagine anything worse than losing a child.”
