It is no night to drown in:
Sylvia Plath
A full moon, river lapsing
Black beneath bland mirror-sheen
With the arrival of the hot summer, recreational activities in swimming pools, beaches, and walks to lakes, and rivers accessible for swimming become convenient. It is also time to take preventive actions to avoid drowning, which is more common than we imagine since it is considered among the 10 main causes of death among children and young people between the ages of 1 and 24, but it is a risk that everyone runs. The humanity.
For this reason, since 2021 the Drowning Prevention Day event has been promoted, #DrowningPreventionDay, established by the United Nations General Assembly every July 25, although it should be marked on the calendar for the entire year. It is estimated that each year more than 200,000 people die from this cause worldwide. Drowning is defined as the process of suffering respiratory difficulties due to immersion in a liquid.
The tragic and profound consequences of this cause of death are multiplied up to 90% in low- and middle-income countries. That is why prevention actions are essential, so it is recommended to install barriers to control the access of water masses in the populations, intensify the regulations of recreational navigation or fishing work, and improve flood risk management. This is becoming more frequent due to climate change and storms are becoming more intense in some regions, causing serious accidents and an increase in deaths.
During vacation periods, the child population is at greater risk and it is necessary to increase supervision measures by adults. It is known that only 6 cm of water is enough to cover a baby’s face and prevent their breathing. The International Red Cross proposes the 10/20 rule, which is to look at the child every 10 seconds and be able to reach him in less than 20 seconds. In any environment, but especially observe infants in swimming pools or bathtubs. Children under five should always have access to them just by stretching their arms. Less than a minute is enough to have a serious accident.
Supervision cannot be left to an older sibling or another child. At resorts, lifeguards or police officers may not act as babysitters. No float, plastic, or inflatable children’s toy protects against drowning, these are non-safety flotation systems. Vests with the correct size seem to be the most appropriate because they leave arms and legs free to move.
Drowning has been called “the silent death” because it occurs in settings where there are people, but no one knows. The signs are detected when the head remains under the water and the person keeps his mouth open because he tries to breathe at surface level.
There is a relationship between swimming lessons and decreased drowning. Children from an early age can access this accredited training in various public or private schools that offer education in accident prevention. It is necessary to know more about the risks and avoid a tragedy. Together we can prevent.
Water is a very attractive element for humanity, it is a longing for our limitations and becomes a desire to conquer, so when the opportunity arises we want to immerse ourselves in natural pools, rivers, water parks, swamps, and beaches, which, despite their charm, represent a risk even for the most skilled swimmers. Prevention and caution are not superfluous, in addition to helping us enjoy the experience and the opportunity to witness the wonders of aquatic nature. In case you find yourself at risk, have the numbers of the emergency services at hand.
At Del Pueblo Funeral Home we wish you a well-deserved rest and total enjoyment of the summer period and we remind you that we make the most difficult moments easy.
