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
Parents
Former Member
Trained in Red Cross lifeguarding not too long ago. When I worked at the YMCA they had all the lifeguards from the area Y's come to a training session. It only involved watching videos of actual drownings. It showed the child that just peacefully slipped under the water's surface and was not discovered for 8 minutes. He never kicked or splashed. It is one of those images that will forever be burned into my brain. I can never be around a water body now and not be on the lookout for this type of situation.
Understood.
I started lifeguarding in 1976, worked in the field off and on until 1996; my SO doesn't understand why I don't find it relaxing to sit and watch the water at the beach... even after all these years I still scan continuously.
Trained in Red Cross lifeguarding not too long ago. When I worked at the YMCA they had all the lifeguards from the area Y's come to a training session. It only involved watching videos of actual drownings. It showed the child that just peacefully slipped under the water's surface and was not discovered for 8 minutes. He never kicked or splashed. It is one of those images that will forever be burned into my brain. I can never be around a water body now and not be on the lookout for this type of situation.
Understood.
I started lifeguarding in 1976, worked in the field off and on until 1996; my SO doesn't understand why I don't find it relaxing to sit and watch the water at the beach... even after all these years I still scan continuously.
