Every Sunday, we will share a story of a non-fatal drowning, discuss where things went wrong, and give some pointers on how to prevent it from happening to the people you love. Thankfully, these stories have happy endings for those involved, but sadly, we lose too many people to drowning every year. We hope examining these real-life stories help put the dangers of water into perspective and help you introduce various principles of water safety to your family!
Today’s Sunday Survival Story features two sisters who worked together to bring a boy from unresponsive under the water to out and back to life.
The theory of a sudden drop-off leading to this drowning is very real. Individuals believe they are safe because they can touch the bottom of their swim environment, and we as parents may feel more comfortable relaxing our guard when we know our child can stand on their own in the water. This is a false sense of security, and we should keep our layers of protection in place. Drop-offs or height differences in natural bodies of water may happen more frequently, and be less visible due to the color of the water.
When swimming in natural bodies of water, always be aware of potential changes- to visibility, to depth, to currents. Wear a life jacket while swimming in natural bodies of water, even if you can swim. Always swim within arm’s reach of a buddy, because conditions can change rapidly.
Do not let a false sense of security lead to you reducing your layers of protection. Have fun, be safe, and be aware of drop-offs!
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