Hope this isn't prophetic, but I received this note as part of Gerry's mailing list just before the 4th. Gerry runs a number of programs that might be of interest to kayakers with a focus on safety issues. Took his Water Rescue Technician course this past spring, and profited significantly from it. Jack Martin ________ Drowning is the 7th leading cause of injury deaths in this country and the 2nd leading cause of injury deaths for children ages 1 - 19 years. It is the 3rd leading cause of death for children 0 - 4 years of age. Each year, there are approximately 5,700 drownings of which only half meant to be in the water at the time of the incident. The leading contributing factor in child drownings is inappropriate supervision. 50% - 67% of the adult drownings are alcohol or drug-related. Each year, there are approximately 1,000 boating deaths of which 90% result from drowning. Most of the drownings occur within 10' of safety or 50' from shore. Most of these victims had PFDs but were not wearing them at the time of the incident. The majority of the drowning deaths in this country occur during holidays and weekends. With the above information in mind, we wish everyone on our E-Mail list a safe, happy and healthy July 4th. Gerry Dworkin, Consultant Aquatics Safety & Water Rescue LIFESAVING RESOURCES http://www.lifesaving.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 7/5/2000 8:23:28 AM Central Daylight Time, JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com writes: > Each year, there are approximately 1,000 boating deaths of which 90% result from > drowning. Most of the drownings occur within 10' of safety or 50' from shore. > Most of these victims had PFDs but were not wearing them at the time of the > incident. The majority of the drowning deaths in this country occur during > holidays and weekends. To graphically emphasize Jack's message, my family was in the vicinity of just such an incident yesterday, a holiday. We were bicycling around our local Lake Nokomis- a favorite quick kayak spot- when a canoe capsized near a beach we were heading toward. We witnessed the futile rescue attempts as first the lifeguards, then the divers, then the sonar patrols searched the murky waters. The missing man, who could not swim it was reported, and two women had rented a canoe and had declined to wear the offered PFDs. When they capsized for some reason near the beach, the women made it to shore and there was apparently some initial confusion as they spoke only Spanish. The lone lifeguard on duty there cleared the beach then swam to the scene, followed by the safety row boat and some other canoeists and swimmers, but were too late. Benign conditions: 80 degrees F (26 C) light winds, a small lake. There was a similar drowning there in 1998. How should the responsible paddlesports community get the message out? -Andy Knapp Minneapolis *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Andy asked, > How should the responsible > paddlesports > community get the message out? While I can empathize with this victim's family and friends and anyone at the site who had to endure the trauma viewing of a fellow human beings death (it can be VERY disturbing and traumatic) I could not help but be amazed by a number of facts as reported by Andy. 1. The victim in question knew that he could not swim yet he went out on the water in a small (relatively tippy) craft. 2. The victim in question _who knew that he could not swim_ declined to wear a PFD even when one was offered to him. It sounds to me like there is very little that anyone could have done to have saved this fellow from himself. Education only works for those who want to learn. Legislation isn't the answer either - you can legislate against stupidity, but you cannot prevent it. I don't mean to sound harsh or judgmental, but I don't think that the paddling community at large needs to do much more than it currently does to promote higher degrees of safety awareness. Perhaps focussing people on advanced safety/rescue skills as well as Advanced First Aid or CPR classes. I doubt whether anyone teaching kayaking or canoeing skills in the US allows their students to not wear a PFD at all times. IMO - one of the best ways to help promulgate safe boating practices to the largest possible portion of the population is to get involved with an organization such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary or the US Power Squadron. As paddlers and the paddling community we comprise a pitifully small percentage of the people who recreate on or in the water - if you're concerned about safety education jump in the trenches and fight the battle where you can have the largest impact. The problem with education is that it only benefits those who seek it. Dave Seng Juneau, Alaska *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
"Seng, Dave" wrote: > Andy asked, > > > How should the responsible > > paddlesports > > community get the message out? > > While I can empathize with this victim's family and friends and anyone at > the site who had to endure the trauma viewing of a fellow human beings death > (it can be VERY disturbing and traumatic) I could not help but be amazed by > a number of facts as reported by Andy. > > I would be more blunt and say that his death significantly raises the quality > of the human gene pool! > > Dave Seng > Juneau, Alaska > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not > to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission > Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net > Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net > Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Donald, Check the configuration of your email program's reply settings. The way I received your email made it look as though I wrote that last sentence about the genepool - and I most emphatically did not. Just a clarification for the record - don't want to be misquoted......<grin> Dave Seng Juneau, Alaska > -----Original Message----- > From: Donald Schoengold [mailto:donaldsc_at_vegas.infi.net] > Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 8:05 PM > To: Seng, Dave > Cc: Paddlewise > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Drowning prevention > > > "Seng, Dave" wrote: > > > Andy asked, > > > > > How should the responsible > > > paddlesports > > > community get the message out? > > > > While I can empathize with this victim's family and > friends and anyone at > > the site who had to endure the trauma viewing of a fellow > human beings death > > (it can be VERY disturbing and traumatic) I could not help > but be amazed by > > a number of facts as reported by Andy. > > > > I would be more blunt and say that his death significantly > raises the quality > > of the human gene pool! > > > > Dave Seng > > Juneau, Alaska > > > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Sorry!! The comments regarding the gene pool were not Dave Seng's. They were mine. Don Schoengold "Seng, Dave" wrote: > Donald, > > Check the configuration of your email program's reply settings. The way I > received your email made it look as though I wrote that last sentence about > the genepool - and I most emphatically did not. Just a clarification for > the record - don't want to be misquoted......<grin> > > Dave Seng > Juneau, Alaska > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Donald Schoengold [mailto:donaldsc_at_vegas.infi.net] > > Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 8:05 PM > > To: Seng, Dave > > Cc: Paddlewise > > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Drowning prevention > > > > > > "Seng, Dave" wrote: > > > > > Andy asked, > > > > > > > How should the responsible > > > > paddlesports > > > > community get the message out? > > > > > > While I can empathize with this victim's family and > > friends and anyone at > > > the site who had to endure the trauma viewing of a fellow > > human beings death > > > (it can be VERY disturbing and traumatic) I could not help > > but be amazed by > > > a number of facts as reported by Andy. > > > > > > I would be more blunt and say that his death significantly > > raises the quality > > > of the human gene pool! > > > > > > Dave Seng > > > Juneau, Alaska > > > > > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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