Please read this story...sad news
www.wenatcheeworld.com/.../
(NOTE: If the link doesn't get you to the story, click on the "HOME" button on the newspaper website, it'll be the "front page story". It's being updated frequently, so this link could be ever changing.)
Very very sad story and circumstance that happened today at the high school pool. :( I really feel sorry for the parents of this person, and I'm sure a lawsuit of some kind will be coming. I'm just glad I wasn't one of the teachers who was supposed to be "watching" the class.
I swim with my masters group every morning in this pool, and for the remainder of the month, ALL groups are out of the pool. Apparently the high school P.E. classes that use the pool for their swimming portion of the year, do so with the regular P.E. teachers supervising. Not a trained lifeguard, water instructor, etc. type of person. Just a regular old teacher.
I just talked with my masters coach, and she got the call from the school that said we are out, along with the swim team is out, and every user group out till the end of the month while they "do an investigation".
Basically what is going to be happening, is that they are going to require having a paid lifeguard on deck while all groups are using the pool. Not a problem for us to pay for that in the morning for masters, but kinda sucks that we're out till December. Hopefully we'll be able to return then, if not sooner!
I will still be able to swim in the afternoons at the YMCA pool, but I do enjoy my mornings.
I was on the adult side of the ER that day so had nothing to do with this save. Water was likely in 50s which always helps...as well as divine intervention :angel:
Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your ranting and raving. :afraid:
No, I'm sure they save many in the random beach scene or play time at the pool (true numbers, I suppose, are impossible to come by)...I was just wondering how many are saved during lap swim time or when swim teams are practicing, or in this case, a swim class.:bighug:
All of the successful cases of prolonged immersion I have been involved with or known of were much colder than that -- so I think you're right that it seems a little miraculous.
Happy endings are always nice.
About time we stopped discussing this matter. It is and was a sad thing. It has happened before and will probably happen again. It happenned two times to kids I knew.
Also thank the neighbor who administered CPR once they pulled him out which maintained his brain until EMS arrived (wonder what technique used). He didn't have a pulse for 30 min, but it didn't state how long he was actually submerged.
Looks the the situation has finally been settled out of court. Here is today's article in the Wenatchee World:
www.wenatcheeworld.com/.../
The pool is much safer now since this incident occurred. It's said that it took something like this to get the changes implemented, but at least it hopefully prevents another one from happening to another family in the future.
$2 million is a pretty common settlement in drownings. Standard is $1 million or so, and the circumstances point to a larger than average settlement.
School district probably has insurance that covers that over a deductible.
I also note the article says the district has to formally apologize to the family and to have a lifeguard on hand, in addition to an instructor, during swim classes.
