Tragedy that has to happen to be believable?
- Thread starter charlz
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MMagis
Veteran Member
That last sentence almost makes me sick to my stomach.
dmccarty
Super Star Member
Saw a story from Shreveport LA in the last week or so. A group of kids from one family where wading in the Red River. One kid fell into a hole and started to drown. Another kid tried to save him and started to drown.....
By the time it was over six kids had drowned. I think they were all siblings and cousins.
Not one of them could swim.
Sad is not a word to begin to describe.
The poor kids on that boat watching the men drown. You know they had to be their father(s).
Later,
Dan
By the time it was over six kids had drowned. I think they were all siblings and cousins.
Not one of them could swim.
Sad is not a word to begin to describe.
The poor kids on that boat watching the men drown. You know they had to be their father(s).
Later,
Dan
aczlan
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The first rule of water rescue that I was taught in scouts was "Reach or throw, dont go".
The first rule of water safety that my grandfather taught me was "If you cant swim, you WILL wear a lifejacket"
Obedience to those two rules could have saved several lives in this case.
Aaron Z
The first rule of water safety that my grandfather taught me was "If you cant swim, you WILL wear a lifejacket"
Obedience to those two rules could have saved several lives in this case.
Aaron Z
MossRoad
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Yeah. I read about that, too. Kinda makes you wonder why 4 grown men would take 3 kids on a boat, not wear the life preservers they had, and not a one of them knowing how to swim! 
A really, really preventable tragedy for the families involved. And the kids had to endure the horror of watching it happen. I'm sure those few short minutes seemed like an eternity and those kids will remember that for their entire lives.
TEACH YOUR KIDS TO SWIM! It is an invaluable life lesson.
A really, really preventable tragedy for the families involved. And the kids had to endure the horror of watching it happen. I'm sure those few short minutes seemed like an eternity and those kids will remember that for their entire lives. TEACH YOUR KIDS TO SWIM! It is an invaluable life lesson.
20 20
Elite Member
If you've ever tried to jump in and save a struggling{panicing} person in the water you'd know it can be a VERY hard chore to do and sometimes impossible. Very sad happening.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Nearly 30 years ago, I had a secretary who had a son-in-law who drank too much. He took his two little boys, both under the age of 10 out in a small boat with an outboard engine, he was drunk and fell out of the boat which circled, and ran over him. So his two little boys got to see their father killed by the propeller of the outboard engine.
brin
Super Member
If any of you ever have to save soemone who is drowing and you do go in after them ..they will grab you out of instinct and may not stop even when told to do so...then you have to knock them out to save them and yourself...trust me.
Highbeam
Super Member
I was a lifeguard all through my teens and through most of college. We have to go get the drowners but there are methods and we also are taught about what to expect. The victim will try and climb on top of your head to get to the air. They will instinctively fight for their life by doing this. Have you ever tried to hold something heavy out of the water? The weight quickly pushes you under.
So yes, reach or throw, don't go is a safe bet.
A great shame that these people don't know how to swim. A key lesson young in life is learning to swim in my family.
That last sentence killed me too.
So yes, reach or throw, don't go is a safe bet.
A great shame that these people don't know how to swim. A key lesson young in life is learning to swim in my family.
That last sentence killed me too.
MossRoad
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If you make the mistake of getting too close to a drowning person (like swimming into them, getting grabbed from behind or just approaching too quickly) and they get a hold of you, about the best thing you can do is suck a quick breath if possible, tuck your chin down and to the side, and try to sink like a brick by not moving your arms and legs. The drowner will almost always instinctively try to climb up you to get out of the water, pushing you down and away from their grip. If you have to, find their elbows and shove them up while shoving you down. It usually releases the grip on your head that they almost always try to get. Then swim down and away and get your wits. Unless you are trained it is very tough to rescue a panicking person.
We lived on a lake as a kid. Mom made us wear lifejackets just standing by the shore until we passed beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate and advanced swimmer levels. Then we had to tow one around with us on a cord to grab it if we got tired. Once we hit junior lifesaving and advanced life saving, we could go about anywhere with an equally skilled partner and no adult supervision. That usually meant adults until we were 14 or 15.
Those skills came in handy for us, as me and all of me sisters got summer jobs with the parks department as life guards at the local pools and beaches. Good summer gig! :thumbsup: I ended up working at a man made white water course here in town. Lots of skill required there. Moving water is down right deadly compared to flat water or even the ocean.
We were rafting down in the Smokies a couple weeks ago and I was talking to our guide, who grew up on the ocean. We both agreed that lakes and even the ocean will let you up while rivers will take you down and keep you there.
Get swimming lessons. Get your kids swimming lessons. Wear lifejackets on moving boats. Require non swimmers to wear lifejackets on non moving boats. Keep throwable floats handy for mishaps. Also look into throw bags... a rope in a throwable bag that floats. Great rescue tool. :thumbsup:
We lived on a lake as a kid. Mom made us wear lifejackets just standing by the shore until we passed beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate and advanced swimmer levels. Then we had to tow one around with us on a cord to grab it if we got tired. Once we hit junior lifesaving and advanced life saving, we could go about anywhere with an equally skilled partner and no adult supervision. That usually meant adults until we were 14 or 15.
Those skills came in handy for us, as me and all of me sisters got summer jobs with the parks department as life guards at the local pools and beaches. Good summer gig! :thumbsup: I ended up working at a man made white water course here in town. Lots of skill required there. Moving water is down right deadly compared to flat water or even the ocean.
We were rafting down in the Smokies a couple weeks ago and I was talking to our guide, who grew up on the ocean. We both agreed that lakes and even the ocean will let you up while rivers will take you down and keep you there.
Get swimming lessons. Get your kids swimming lessons. Wear lifejackets on moving boats. Require non swimmers to wear lifejackets on non moving boats. Keep throwable floats handy for mishaps. Also look into throw bags... a rope in a throwable bag that floats. Great rescue tool. :thumbsup:
