Keep your kids safe!! Drowning doesn't LOOK like drowning

Now that we are in the Summer season and many will be enjoying the lakes and open water, here's a very educational article on how drowning does NOT look like what you see on TV.

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

I have family that work as lifeguards and have for years(25+) in one case and they agree this is very good information to share.

You never seen Baywatch have you?

Thanks Laz...I shared with all my friends...many of which have a pool in their community.

I might forward it to my HOA ppl if I can figure out who they are.

tnt

VERY important message this time of year. It happened to my former neighbor. Mom was on the phone and turned her back for just a minute. Kids made their way into the fenced pool area. Very sad story. Please be safe and vigilant.

In keeping with this theme, if you don't know CPR, please learn it.

It's ridiculously simple, and takes less than a day to go through the class. While CPR will not save a life by itself, it will buy you valuable time for EMS to arrive so that they can employ definitive life-saving interventions.

Or teach the booger eaters to swim.

pyramider,

I've been a swimmer for years....and if you are in the ocean or even a lake - it can overpower even GREAT swimmers.

Or a child might get out in a deep part of the pool and not realize they went that far....sometimes they forget that they were taught how to float should they get tired or spent.

I was a lifeguard in pools and the gulf for years. Teaching them to swim will also teach the brats to respect the water. Too many parents thinck that bringing the kids to the pool and leaving them is parenting, its babysitting.

I also was a lifeguard and Red Cross Water Safety Instructor for years. I agree that it is important to teach children to swim. However, that does not decrease the importance of being vigilant when young children are around water. Watch them, watch them, watch them!

I was a lifeguard in pools and the gulf for years. Teaching them to swim will also teach the brats to respect the water. Too many parents thinck that bringing the kids to the pool and leaving them is parenting, its babysitting. Originally Posted by pyramider

I agree...yes it does teach respect.

When my oldest son was still a lil toddler (but the size of a 3 yr old...go figure, I make big babies)...I was at my pool with my girlfriend who was laying out getting her tan on.

I figured, well - I'm 6ft 2in..I'm in the deep end at 6ft, and he's right there wanting to join me...I could touch the bottom from the side of the pool, but it didn't occur to me what might happen if he did a big jump - like he was use to doing in the shallow end.

OMG.

I seriously thought we were both going to drown.
I've been taught rescue swimming type things - but in this case - he was so heavy (at least 70 lbs at two years old) and I wasn't prepared to go underwater with a deep breath...and every time I tried to get to the top, I was pushing him under more!
So I planted my feet on the bottom and just pushed him up as best as I could - dying for air...and trying not to panic too badly.

My girlfriend saw him and heard HIM crying and flailing about - and I pushed him over towards the side as well.

If it weren't for her staying aware and listening, God only knows what would have happened to either one of us.

The GOOD thing I did right after that - is I didn't rush him and kiss and hug him like he almost died.

I put a big smile on my face and said, "Hey bubb...I don't think it's a very smart idea to jump to me in the deep side....come back over where we were so you can do it right this time and I can catch you like we were doing before!"

He was a bit reluctant...but I think it is the ONLY thing that kept him from being terrified of the water.
I did teach my kids water safety pretty young - but I didn't do swim lessons till they were older. But I say better late than never.

I think kids should be given basic swim lessons from someone that is not their parent - as I think it's a little more of an impact when they see the pool lifeguards giving them instruction.

Kids learn by observing. Had tntAngie freaked out the kid would have freaked. Then he would probably be afraid of the water. Kids are like sponges the way they soak up info.