Safety
Nonswimmers becoming health crisis in U.S. and U.K.
The news out of Britain is ominous for an island nation: More than 50 percent of children age 7 to 11 can’t swim 25 meters, according to a new study. This in a country where swimming is actually a required skill for graduation! In America, lack of swimming skills is becoming a serious problem as […]
Want to reduce high minority drowning rates? Ensure pool access
Anyone who thinks prejudice isn’t a serious issue in the United States should read a recent news story from Minneapolis. The story details one African American woman’s efforts to get a swimming pool built in her neighborhood. Tragically, the day after the pool was finally approved, a young black man drowned nearby. Sad as that […]
Drowning sim means you’ll never go near the water without a life jacket again
You’ve heard of flight simulators and combat simulators, but now a drowning simulator is afloat online. Sortie En Mer-A Trip Out To Sea takes you to the sea, tips you over, and then leaves you with the task to struggle and stay afloat, even though no matter what, you’ll drown sooner or later. The simulator designed […]
6 ways climate change makes beaches less safe
A recent story out of the U.K. highlights another growing problem swimmers around the world are beginning to face: Climate change is making beaches and open water swimming less safe. In the U.K., the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is warning spring vacationers that violent winter storms (which many scientists attribute to climate change) have […]
Who should be restricted from pools and water parks?
Britain’s equality watchdog recently warned that it’s illegal for a British school to ban an 80-year-old swimmer because he “swims so slowly that he will get in the way of other pool users.” Aside from the obvious reasons such policies are unacceptable, they raise thorny questions about safety versus discrimination, especially when the question is […]
Who’s to blame for Norwegian cruise ship drowning?
On first blush, the news of a recent drowning on a Norwegian cruise ship seems like an open and shut case. The facts are these: Two boys were found unresponsive in the ship’s adult pool. Despite CPR efforts, the 4-year-old boy died; his 6-year-old brother survived, though it’s unclear if he suffered brain damage as […]
Why “No t-shirt in the pool” rule doesn’t hold water
At first glance, the story out of Bakersfield, Calif., about a man who’s fighting the city to be able to wear a t-shirt while swimming might seem trivial — the kind of fodder local news stations love, but which have no real consequences. Dig deeper, however, and you’ll see that this issue is about much […]
Fear of the water is more common — and more deadly — than you think
Carmen Electra. Richard Branson. Sandra Bullock. Snoop Dog. Eva Mendes. What do all these celebrities have in common? They’re adults who can’t swim — a life-threatening problem that’s about more than just being unable to compete in the Olympics. Chances are, these celebrities, and adults like them who can’t swim, are afraid of the water. […]
How to bring cold water drowning victims back to life
With winter stubbornly hanging on throughout much of the country, there’s a small bit of comfort to be had in the midst of the cold — at least on the drowning rescue front. New research shows that cold water drowning victims can be brought back to life as long as two hours after they drown […]
OSHA needs to update underwater construction protections
Sometimes it takes a tragedy to shine a light on a serious injustice that needs to be righted. In the case of inadequate underwater construction oversite, it’s taken two. The Occupational Health & Safety Administration has cited Lucas Marine Acquisition Co. LLC, (which touts itself as “Experts in Marine Construction Solutions”) with 22 violations following […]