Monday, April 4, 2016

Community Rallies Around Family Following Drowning Death At Country Club

Community Rallies Around Family Following Drowning Death At Country Club

Posted by Jesse Guerra on July 12, 2011
TS-Lifeguard-01.jpgSwimming pool drowning deaths are devastating losses for the families involved.  Usually these accidents involve young children, and when these innocent lives are taken in tragic circumstances entire communities are often affected.

That appears to be the case in the drowning death of a 6-year old boy named Keegan Adkins.  Community members are rallying around the child’s who died after a swimming tragedy at the Woodhaven Country Club late last month.  It is unclear exactly what led to the child becoming submerged underwater.  However, the Courier Journal reported that Keegan was taken from the pool after those nearby noticed that he appeared to be submerged.
Emergency workers pulled the boy from the pool and performed CPR before he was rushed to the hospital.  Doctors explained that his brain was likely deprived of oxygen for five minutes or longer, resulting in an anoxic brain injury.  This type of brain damage is common in drowning and near-drowning cases.  Keegan’s life support was removed the day after the drowning accident.
This case, like so many others, is a stark reminder of the challenge facing lifeguards who need to be extra diligent when watching crowded pools.  As we have frequently mentioned, the fact that a lifeguard is near the pool does not provide any security to swimmers.  To be effective the guard must be constantly active in scanning the water.  This is a demanding task which mandates that guards should be properly rotated so that their eyes are fresh and capable of concentrating on those swimming in the area under their observation.
Besides be active and alert, all guards must also be properly trained so that they know how to respond when a swimmer is in distress.  Far too often lifeguards are unsure how to provide the life-saving aid that a victim needs in a timely fashion.
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Man Dies In Water Park Slide Drowning Accident

Posted by Jesse Guerra on July 11, 2011
Many consider water parks to be the epitome of a fun summer activity.  Throughout the country families travel to these amusement parks to enjoy lazy rivers, wave pools, water slides, and more.  However, as with all activities near the water, these attractions pose risks to those involved.  It is incumbent that guests recognize those risks.  Even more importantly, those who operate the water parks must do everything in their power to keep guests safe.  That includes ensuring that lifeguards act properly to save swimmers who are in trouble.
water slide
The consequence of a water park accident was recently highlighted by a tragic incident at the Lake Lanier Islands resort last week.  The Gainesville Times reported on the drowning of 21-year old Sergio Edwards who was on the park’s Fun Dunker water slide before being found unresponsive on the bottom of the slide’s base.
According to reports the man went down the waterslide but did not resurface.  Between one and four minutes later another visitor notified lifeguards of his disappearance.  Eventually he was found at the bottom of the slide.  CPR was administered, but nothing could be done.
The slide in question was one of the more popular rides at the park.  It involved an enclosed tube that emptied into a funnel-shaped bowl with riders eventually being dropped into a pool of water below.  Investigators believe that the man may have hit his head on the ride—rendering him unconscious.  He then drowned when lifeguards failed to notice him unresponsive in the water.
This accident is a reminder that the mere presence of lifeguards is inadequate if those guards are not alert and focused on the task at hand.  It seems self-evident that lifeguards need to be paying attention at all times.    Most guards are given zones of the pool to scan, and it is vital that they diligently monitor that zone.  When lifeguards fail in this duty, the consequences can be deadly.
Many experts recommend that guards must maintain the “10/20 Rule.”  This Rule reflects studies which indicate that a lifeguard has 10 seconds to recognize that a guest is in danger and 20 seconds to reach the guest and render aid.  When all lifeguards understand the time-sensitive nature of their task then swimming danger is minimized.
Our swimming pool lawyer sends sincere condolences to the victim of this water park accident.  We urge all amusement park guests to remain alert to the dangers present and to ensure that staff members of these facilities are providing a safe environment for their guests.
See Our Related Blog Posts:
Lifeguards Must Be Properly Alert to Actually Spot Troubled Swimmers
Child Drowns in Community Pool Surrounded By Fifty Other Children
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Woman's Body Goes Unnoticed in Public Pool For Days After Swimming Accident

Posted by Jesse Guerra on June 30, 2011
A shocking story was reported throughout the country last night about a woman who suffered a swimming accident in a public pool and went unnoticed for three days.
Investigators revealed that the 36-year-old victim, Marie Joseph, was at the Veteran’s Memorial Swimming Pool in Fall River, Massachusetts while watching a 9-year old boy.  The woman was using the waterslide at the facility when she unexpectedly landed on top of the child.  The boy indicates the Ms. Joseph then went under the water and did not surface.  The child claims that he told a lifeguard about this, but they ignored him.  
Amazingly, it was not until three day later that the woman’s body was found.  A few local residents had jumped the pool’s fence at 10 p.m. to swim at night while the pool was closed.  Those individuals noticed the body floating in the pool and called the police.
The swimming pool had been open and was used by many visitors during the three days that the woman’s body is believed to be underwater.  That means that neither lifeguards nor swimmers were able to spot the deceased victim at the body of the pool.
State officials were shocked to learn of the situation.  In response, the entire lifeguarding staff was placed on temporary leave until further investigation could be conducted into the situation.  In addition, each of the state’s 30 deepwater public pools were closed while safety procedures were reviewed.
The incident has startled many readers who cannot understand how such an accident could have occurred unnoticed.  However, when unsafe conditions at one of these pools exist and when lifeguards and operators are not thorough in their duties, then a wide variety of shocking swimming pool accidents often strike.  For example, lifeguards may not have noticed the distressed swimmer if the pool was too crowded or the water too murky.  If the water slide was not placed in a proper location that allowed guards to properly observe the goings-on, then dangerous falls and collisions could happen without observers being aware.
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Lifeguards Must Be Properly Alert to Actually Spot Troubled Swimmers

Posted by Jesse Guerra on June 08, 2011
file000604904711.jpgAll too often observers believe that being a good lifeguard only requires being certified in some form and being a good swimmer.  However, it is often forgotten that if a lifeguard is not capable of noticing a swimmer who is drowning or distressed than the guard’s swimming ability is irrelevant.  Unfortunately swimming pool accidents strike all the time across the area even when lifeguards are on duty.
A helpful article was posted last week by Mario Vittone on how lifeguards at public pools are often less effective than believed.  It is explained how far too many managers, operators, and owners of public swimming pools have no lifeguard training themselves and are therefore unfamiliar with what proper pool safety and observation requires.
Most importantly, various actions should be taken by lifeguards so that they are actually mentally fresh and capable of spotting those in danger and in need of rescue.  Far too many lifeguards miss drowning swimmers because, as many visual experts suggest, the mind can only scan and concentrate accurately for certain periods of time before needing a break.  In fact, studies indicate that it is literally impossible for a lifeguard to scan a pool effectively for more than 30 minutes at a time before needing a 5 to 10 minute “reset.”
This is how a lifeguard who has not been relieved for an hour or two is capable of staring directly at a distressed swimmer without attempting a rescue.  Many a swimming pool drowning has occurred in just this manner.
Many experts suggest that it is impossible for a single lifeguard to be effective at a pool for a considerable length of time. Those advocates state that it is imperative that there are at least two employees watching the pool—either two guards or one guard and one other staff member to keep people out of the pool while the guard takes a break.  Also, guards should be sure to move around, because staying in the same place decreases attention span.
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