There is a common myth that good swimmers cannot drown. However, lifeguards claim that most drownings are due to people who can swim. They emphasize that everyone has a risk of drowning since water is a dangerous and unpredictable element. Especially at risk are those who are excellent at swimming and rely on their abilities. This article discusses situations in which even an experienced swimmer can be in danger and also warns against the negative consequences of summer holidays.
Risk Factors
Rescuers point out that most incidents on the water are due to gross violations of safety rules. So-called “arrogant” swimmers risk their lives by throwing themselves into turbulent rivers, swimming across lakes, swimming towards buoys, swimming on unequipped beaches, and ignoring life jackets.
One of the main enemies of vacationers on the water is alcohol. Statistics show that 70 percent of those who drowned consumed alcoholic beverages. Alcohol reduces the coordination of movements and orientation in space, which can lead to an incorrect assessment of the depth, distance to the coast, and the choice of the wrong direction of movement. In addition, alcohol dilates blood vessels, while cold water constricts them, which can cause serious health problems such as hypertensive crises.
Non-alcohol-related health problems can also be the cause of tragedies on the water. Heart attack, stroke, heat stroke, and sudden loss of consciousness in water can lead to disastrous consequences. A sudden temperature change can cause convulsions, and injuries sustained during water immersion can make it impossible to stay on the surface.
In addition, there is always the risk of encountering hidden hazards such as bottom holes, whirlpools, and rip currents. Even experienced swimmers can be helpless in the face of these elements.
Four-life “no”
1. Do not try to cover too long distances in the water, so as not to exhaust your strength and not underestimate the distance.
2. Do not enter the water if you have consumed alcohol after a picnic or party. In this case, it is safer to stay on the shore.
3. Avoid swimming in unfamiliar waters, especially if it is prohibited. It is impossible to predict what dangers may lie in waiting at the bottom.
4. Don’t swim alone. Having another person nearby can be life-saving in unexpected situations.
How to recognize a drowning person
It is often difficult to determine that a person is in danger because reality does not always match our expectations. Usually drowning people do not have the strength to scream or wave their arms, as they fight for survival and spend all their resources trying to stay on the surface of the water. However, there are signs by which you can understand that something is wrong:
– The head appears above the water, then disappears under it.
– The mouth is at the water level, and breathing becomes fast and shallow.
– The eye is not focused.
– The body is vertically positioned.
– The person is floundering in the water without making a sound or is trying to roll over onto their back.