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Old 07-26-2013, 09:33 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Default Drowning Can Be Subtle & Easy To Miss

Hollywood normally portrays a drowning victim as splashing, yelling and generally raising a ruckus. It happens that way sometimes but at other times it can be a lot more subtle and easy to miss unless you know what you are looking for.




"Los Angeles County Fire Department, Lifeguard Division

Do you know how to identify someone who is drowning?? Know the warning signs!!

If you see someone caught in a Rip Current or drowning, tell a lifeguard immediately or if no lifeguard is around call 911. Do not go in to help someone as you will likely become a victim as well ‪#‎SummerSafetyLA‬"

They say it can be very subtle and fast, 20 to 60 seconds in total and less for a child before they may sink beneath the surface and stay there!


I looked around for some videos online showing the signs of a subtle drowning, see below.


A short clip mainly focusing on what a subtle drowning victim may look like.



A more indepth evaluation of what to do, not to do as well as the signs of a subtle drowning.
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Last edited by ricki; 07-26-2013 at 10:09 PM.
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Old 07-29-2013, 10:06 AM
greg meintjes greg meintjes is offline
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great info Rick, thans for posting.
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Old 07-30-2013, 09:52 AM
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You are welcome Greg thanks for commenting! Hope summer is going well in KW.
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Old 10-08-2014, 09:41 PM
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I just came across another article on the same subject, drowning may not "look" like drowning.

"

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water level
Head tilted back with mouth open
Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
Eyes closed
Hair over forehead or eyes
Not using legs—vertical
Hyperventilating or gasping
Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
Trying to roll over on the back
Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder"

and

"Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene magazine, described the Instinctive Drowning Response like this:

“Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled before speech occurs.
Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.”

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble—they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the Instinctive Drowning Response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long—but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc."

Continued at: http://www.slate.com/articles/health...le_in_the.html
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Old 10-08-2014, 09:43 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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I just came across another article on the same subject, drowning may not "look" like drowning.

"Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water level
Head tilted back with mouth open
Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
Eyes closed
Hair over forehead or eyes
Not using legs—vertical
Hyperventilating or gasping
Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
Trying to roll over on the back
Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder"

and

"Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene magazine, described the Instinctive Drowning Response like this:

“Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled before speech occurs.
Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.”

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble—they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the Instinctive Drowning Response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long—but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc."

Continued at: http://www.slate.com/articles/health...le_in_the.html
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