2/06/2011 1 Background Water safety and drowning prevention strategies, has been in existence for as long as organised lifesaving has been. These strategies have helped saving many human lives and preventing drowning, around the globe. Therefore, the climate change, the unpredictability of water and the increase in the global drowning rate despite all the efforts we do at all levels, compel us to do more than before in drowning prevention strategy area.
Transcript
2/06/2011
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Background
Water safety and drowning prevention strategies, has been in existence for as long as organised lifesaving has been. These strategies have helped saving many human lives and preventing drowning, around the globe.
Therefore, the climate change, the unpredictability of water and the increase in the global drowning rate despite all the efforts we do at all levels, compel us to do more than before in drowning prevention strategy area.
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Drowning Chain for people living with specific health problems
ignorance of our own health problems, disregard of medical advices, or misjudgment of our own ability
uninformed relevant authorities (lifesavers/lifeguards, swimming and lifesaving instructors, pool/beach operation managers, swimming and lifesaving coaches, council authorities, etc.) in charge of supervision or management of various aquatic environments about people living with specific health problems and unprotected access to a hazard
incompetent or absence of supervision, specially of people living with specific health problems, the young and the elderly
inability to cope (in the case of people living with specific health problems or bystanders) when an emergency situation arises
…Drowning Chain for people living with specific health problems
Well, drowning and accidents in and around water follow a general pattern which can best be described as a chain of linked events. Each of the links can lead to direct injury or to the next link.
The concept of the chain suggests that where one of these links is evident, an aquatic accident is likely; where all five links occur a serious aquatic accident will result.
Each link of the chain can be more fully described as:
ignorance of our own health problems, disregard of medical advices, or misjudgment of our own ability
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Health problems that can cause seizure or sudden loss of consciousness and drowning Some of those health problems that have caused and
would likely still cause loss of human lives through drowning, water related accidents and injuries during water activities worldwide are:
Epileptic
Asthma
Diabetes
Hypertension
Hypotension
Cardio-vascular diseases
Drowning is preventable
Well, we almost all do know that drowning is preventable. Sadly, we do not have all the necessary means we need to prevent it; why?
There exist many reasons to this situation:
Firstly, because many people in Cameroon and other developing nations across the world have very limited or no access to quality medical checks-up just because they cannot afford-it at all or because of poor governmental public health policy.
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…Drowning is preventable Secondly, for those few who can afford-it they just do not think about it, which is a
paradox.
Thirdly, our governments do not have good, fair and clearly define policies about public health and people easy and free of charge access to medical checks-up services. As a result of this lack of good, fair and clearly define policies, we have millions of people living in the communities both in urban and rural area totally unaware of their real health condition with all the drowning risk that this involve.
Fourthly, the scarcity of medical checks-up centres and the high cost of medical checks-up services; prevent millions of men, women and children from poor and needy families and backgrounds from accessing to these lifesaving medical checks-up services in many developing nation across the globe. What sadness!
Fifthly, ignorance and the high cost of personal flotation devices (PFDs) e.g. (lifejackets, work-vest and lifebuoy) prevent millions of people living with specific health problems to buy them in order to ensure their safety, protection and survival in, on and near water in case of an emergency situation.
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Breaking the Drowning Chain for people living with specific health problems
Knowledge of water safety and reliable information about our and other people health condition should definitely reduce the likelihood of drowning occurring amongst the population living with specific health problems worldwide.
Therefore it makes sense to attempt to break the drowning chain for people living with specific health problems by:-
Educating them on how to deal with their health problems while carrying out water activities and also on how to recognize and avoid dangerous situations.
Denying and restricting open access to water hazards
…Breaking the Drowning Chain for people living with specific health problems Providing information leaflets and signs and asking those
participating in water activities to provide their “water activities participant’s health information form” (waphif)
Ensuring that those who supervise are suitably trained, qualified and competent
Encouraging the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs) e.g. (lifejackets, work-vest and lifebuoy) for people living with specific health problems while participating in water activities
Acquiring competent swimming, personal survival and rescue skills
Making rescuers and rescue equipment readily available
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Benefits of utilising the water activities participant’s health information form (waphif) Safe fishing, swimming, bathing, surfing, bodyboarding,
rowing, kayaking, and boating
Safe swimming and lifesaving teaching and coaching
Safe and effective water activities supervision and lifeguarding
Effective drowning, water related accidents and injuries prevention
Increased participation in lifesaving sport for many
Increased participation in water activities for many
Significant reduction of drowning, water related accidents and injuries rate
Conclusion As lifesaving organisations we believe that everyone
should be encouraged to participate in aquatic activities – and to do so as safely as possible by filling in his water activities participant’s health information form (waphif) and giving it to the relevant authorities such as (lifesavers/lifeguards, swimming and lifesaving instructors, pool/beach operation managers, swimming and lifesaving coaches, council authorities, etc.) that own, supervise or manage various aquatic environments.
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…Conclusion With diligent and sincere efforts, hard work and
commitment as far as general public’s water safety education and lifesaving training is concern, we will surely achieve the unthinkable, we will surely save many lives.
We recommend every one participating in water activities of all kind across the globe to use this water activities participant’s health information form (waphif) without hesitation.
…Conclusion We encourage governmental authorities of developing
nations to review their public health policies for the benefit of poor communities by allowing them to access free of charge to medical checks-up services for this will contribute to save many human lives and prevent drowning.
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References Lifesaving Handbook of the Royal Life Saving Society
United Kingdom – Written and Edited by David Eaton MA, FIST, FIST (LS) – Chapter 2, Water Safety & Accident Prevention, Sub-title, Drowning Chain (copyright 1995 Sixth Edition)
The Essential Water Safety Book-Pack, Author and Editor: Avril Janks (copyright International Life Saving Federation 2001)
