Drowning info

This is some pretty interesting info - good to know.
http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

That's some powerfull information.  Thanks for posting here!

Modification:
Something tells me that having been a lifeguard is a pre-requisit to becoming a mod or admin on this site...
Personal success rate 2 for 3...  FYI stomach contents are no longer contained by the esophageal sphincter when someone inhales a bunch of water and goes unconcious.  The victim will often exhale half digested food into your mouth if you don't get out of the way quickly.   

Wow, that link seems to have gone viral.  I've seen it a few times on facebook already.   

Having been a lifeguard for a few years in college, I can confirm most of the information in the post either from training or occasional from experience.  The only two people I ever "rescued" didn't look like the cinematic drowning everyone thinks of.  One was a small toddler that was wading in shallow water and fell face down.  The mother was talking to a friend about 3 ft away and didn't notice.  I tried not to make a big deal about it at the time as  I ran past her and scooped up her son, but internally I was giving her the riot act.   The second time it was a large muscular high school kid who evidently couldn't really swim but was peer pressured into going off the diving board.   He jumped in, sank to the bottom and just stood there looking up with the biggest panic eyes you've ever seen.  If I didn't watch him jump in I might not have noticed in time.


Brian

Great [post!!!

Like B I was a lifeguard for many years and also only had to make 2 rescues. The article really nails it with the eyes. I'll never forget the first kids face. Kind of looked like he was being held from behind and was too scared to say anything. After getting out of the pool he didn't look too bad... then he puked up about a gallon of pool water. The second was really a choking incident where my brother, also a lifeguard, made the rescue. There was a pool party and a girl got a big bite to eat and then jumped into the pool. Like the other incidents no splashing or anything, just a quiet, floating little girl. With a quick finger sweep and 10 seconds of rescue breathing she was back.

Thanks a lot for posting Madoc. Very informational.

Z

Yes, it certainly has gone viral. I've seen it myself on other networking sites. And hats off to the people who released this info.
When I met my wife, I told her that if we're going to hang out a lot, she has to learn how to swim. Been together twelve years now

Ex-lifeguard too, and I was not taught this 40 years ago.  Never made a rescue of a drowning person.  Did get two kids in "aquatic distress".  Thank you for posting the link.  I sent it to my sister who lives near a lake at which my nephews play. 

Great article. Everyone MUST read this.

True

another ex lifeguard here as well. However, I took (and passed) the courses twice in my life, I never had a job as a lifguard.
 But I have used the knowledge I gained from those classes in every day life a few times.
 well worth the $ for the classes to say the least.