KD in CA Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Ok I have to say this. Never, Never, NEVER jump into a pool or any body of water to save a struggling swimmer. Talk the swimmer towards shallow water or throw something to extend your reach. Jump into the water when the swimmer stops struggling - and revive them on shore. Drastically lowers the odds of a double drowning. Throw - Row - Go Basic water rescue. Yup -- the first rule of lifeguarding is don't let yourself get pulled down. But you have to make a judgment based on a) your skills as a rescuer and b) the size of the victim (in this case a child). Also, swimming pools are fairly low risk since you are really never more than a few feet from an edge. It's in the ocean or rivers where people vastly underestimate the difficulty of swimming. Multiple drownings happen all the time because poor swimmers venture in to help and don't know how to handle the water, let alone assist another who is in panic mode.
DC Tom Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Yup -- the first rule of lifeguarding is don't let yourself get pulled down. But you have to make a judgment based on a) your skills as a rescuer and b) the size of the victim (in this case a child). Also, swimming pools are fairly low risk since you are really never more than a few feet from an edge. It's in the ocean or rivers where people vastly underestimate the difficulty of swimming. Multiple drownings happen all the time because poor swimmers venture in to help and don't know how to handle the water, let alone assist another who is in panic mode. I know I can handle a child in a pool or calm, shallow body of water. My wife in a pool (she can't swim)...I'd still jump in, of course, but unless I could touch the bottom I'd be concerned about her dragging me under. A child in, say, the Potomac, I'd be looking for something bouyant to bring with me. An adult...that's just asking to be drowned.
DC Tom Posted June 15, 2011 Posted June 15, 2011 Well that WAS heroic on your part. You shouldn't shortchange yourself and you shouldn't shortchange others. No, it's not. No. It's not. And that's not a reflection on the act, that's a reflection on the histrionic overuse of "hero": Heroic. Heroic.\ Not heroic, Not heroic. Not heroic You're a bonehead with a desperate need for a sense of perspective if you think this is heroic.
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