PSA: Drowning

This doesn't happen when someone is actually drowning.

     Today I'm taking a brief break from PA school news to share a quick PSA. The weather's finally getting warmer, and the sun is actually making an appearance again, so clearly summer is on its way. This means that a lot of people will be spending a lot more time in or around water. In light of this fact, I found this article very relevant and important. As the title says, "drowning doesn't look like drowning," which means that many of our preconceived notions about drowning (drawn primarily from movies and tv) are false. This is part of why many children drown, even while under adult supervision. I'd suggest that everyone read the article for themselves, but here are the key points of the Instinctive Drowning Response, which is what to look for when someone is drowning: 

• Drowning people cannot call for help. The body prioritizes breathing over speech, so drowning is actually very quiet.
• The mouth of someone who is drowning may both sink and reemerge from under the water, but not long enough for them to inhale or exhale, and thus they cannot shout for help either.
• Drowning people will not wave for help because the natural instinct is to use the arms to press down on the water to push the body up.
• Drowning people cannot perform voluntary arm movements, so they will not be able to grab on to a rope, lifesaver, or even a rescuer.
• Drowning people will be vertical in the water, without any supporting kicks, so they will only be able to keep themselves from being submerged for less than a minute.

     Before someone actually begins drowning, they may enter into Aquatic Distress. This is a bit closer to the public's idea of drowning because a person who is only in distress, and is not actually drowning, will be able to shout for help, wave their arms, and grab onto lifesaving objects thrown to them. The article provides a list of some helpful signs to look for and then ends with a suggestion anyone can do: if you have any suspicions that someone may be drowning (e.g. if they remain in the same spot, appearing to just tread water and stare into space), simply ask them if they're alright. If they answer, they're probably fine, but if they don't reply at all, you might have less than a minute to act. 

I hope you all have a happy, and safe, summer!