Excellent article about what a drowning victim actually looks like/experiences. My own experience as a lifeguard and training lifeguards bears this out.
Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning
Former Member
A frightening but useful reminder. Please consider posting to the Non-Swimming Related Forum for a wider audience to see.
Maybe the real way people drown should be mimicked during training more. It's been so long since I was a lifeguard I no longer recall any details. Even if I did, teaching lifesaving has probably changed more than a bit...
What a great article! That is information everyone should know.
It's really interesting when you train new guards, their first few weeks on deck they are hyper aware... but they don't know what they're looking at. More than a few times I've had to shove a new guard into the water to go get a kid, they just couldn't see that the child was in trouble.
Maybe the real way people drown should be mimicked during training more. It's been so long since I was a lifeguard I no longer recall any details. Even if I did, teaching lifesaving has probably changed more than a bit...
I've been out of it the last ten years, but back then the training was starting to change to recognize this more quiet victim, rather than the loud splashing caricature previously used.
I'd love to hear from someone with current training info.
Great article!! :applaud:
I was trained as a lifeguard in 1992, and I don't recall ever hearing about what a true drowning victim looks like.
I'm with Queen and I'd love to hear about current training on this subject if anyone has had recent lifeguard training.
I haven't had formal lifeguard training for some time but the YASA course at the Y (basically a course about how to help the lifeguard) mentions the difference between an active and a passive drowning victim and what to look for.
Great article!! :applaud:
I was trained as a lifeguard in 1992, and I don't recall ever hearing about what a true drowning victim looks like.
I'm with Queen and I'd love to hear about current training on this subject if anyone has had recent lifeguard training.
Same here. First trained in '96 or '97 and I don't remember this being in any of the training. I haven't done any lifeguarding since 2002 or so. I only lifeguarded in small pools; never had to dive in the water to save anyone.
More than a few times I've had to shove a new guard into the water to go get a kid, they just couldn't see that the child was in trouble.
Fortunately I don't lifeguard anymore - but I remember when I did, there were several parents who had their children in serious trouble within arms length of them - and weren't even aware. Had to push them aside to rescue their child.
Printed your article out - thanks so much. My son is the head guard & a site manager over the city swim lessons this summer - hopefully he'll share this with the others there as well.
My lifeguard and WSI training in 1970 taught us that all drowning victims could flail their arms, kick as well as polo players and would fight you as a rescuer. And it always happened in a freshwater lake. Drowning victims seem to have changed over the years.
