Water Safety in the Lowcountry: Lifeguards, Parents, and Caregivers Work Together to Ensure Safety in and Near the Water.

By: Acacia Cameron RN

Link to article HERE

Carson Cook is a 16-year-old lifeguard who is very enthusiastic about her job and safety training. She lifeguards at a local indoor and outdoor pool up to 30 hours a week and is the first one of her peers to pick up a shift at a moment’s notice. Carson’s passion for water safety continues to grow with her training and education. 

“I have wanted to be a lifeguard since I was little. Swimming can be both fun and dangerous… I wanted to provide kids with safety.” Carson goes on to mention that the more she learns about how dangerous simple, everyday things can be in and around the water, the more she wants to learn how to be an asset to her community and to provide people with a capable and knowledgeable lifeguard.

The Lowcountry needs more people like Carson who are avid and vigilant learners about water safety. Being surrounded by water, the local citizens of the Lowcountry are at a heightened risk of adverse water events like injuries and drownings. 

“(People) should know the signs of a distressed swimmer and how to help,” Carson mentions the breath-holding games many kids like to play in the pool. “They go underwater as long as they can… then pop up for a breath and immediately go back under.” Carson warns that this can cause people to pass out in the water. Not a lot of people are aware of this. Another danger is hitting your head on the edge of the pool or getting a calf cramp in the deep end. She encourages everyone to be aware of danger and how more experienced swimmers can help keep smaller kids and less strong swimmers safe.

Carson credits her American Red Cross for lighting a fire under her in regards to water safety and injury management. “I took the American Red Cross Basic Life Support and CRP course. I learned how to scan the pool,” she continues, “Everything I use in my job I learned from the American Red Cross.” She also recognizes her amazing co-workers for her training. 

The American Red Cross offers an abundance of courses on water safety and general aid to the public. Since its launch, the American Red Cross has provided resources to help deliver more than 131,000 sets of swim lessons and certify more than 5,400 junior lifeguards, lifeguards and Water Safety Instructors. 

Here are some takeaways the everyday person can contribute to the safety of their community:

• Download the Red Cross Swim App. Take the free Water Safety for Parents and Caregivers Online course.

• Prevent unsupervised access to water. This can be done with a designated “Water Watcher” who is focused solely on people in the water, without distractions. Physical barriers like fences as well as pool alarms are also encouraged.

• Learn how to swim and how to spot a distressed swimmer. Drowning behavior is usually fast and silent. Throw an object out to the person to pull them back in. Often, people who are distressed and drowning can pull you under.

• Take the ARC First Aid, Basic Life Support, and CPR course. Gain valuable knowledge on how to manage injuries and people who are in need of help.

• Remember you should only swim on a beach with a lifeguard on duty. Pay attention to local weather conditions and warnings as well.

• Do not dive head-first into any body of water to prevent head and spinal cord injuries. It is incredibly difficult to gauge water depth or to sometimes see objects in the water that could cause serious injury.

• Understand what to do if you get caught in a rip current. Don’t fight it. Swim out with the current, parallel to the shore, then back to shore when you are out of the current.

The American Red Cross is here for you. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s data, counties with Red Cross Centennial programs saw an overall 10% decrease in drowning rates versus a 6% decrease nationally. Due to the Aquatics Centennial Campaign’s success and impact, the Red Cross is doubling the number of sites by expanding from 50 to 100 locations across the country.