Archive for November, 2006

Life Belts and Vests

While modern practice is to teach swimming with no artificial aids to body buoyancy, various types of life belts and vests have their place as safety factors in water sports. For a number of years, a water-skiers’ life belt has been available. Fitting around the waist, it provides a measure of buoyancy and will keep the body above water. While it is small enough not to interfere with the skier’s activities, it does keep the head above water if the user should become unconscious or disabled. There are also a number of different types of inflatable belts available, usually using a carbon-dioxide container which releases the gas into the belts when the release valve is opened. Also available are several types

Artificial respiration mouth-to-mouth (mouth-to-nose) method

o “invisible” life belts which can be worn under the trunks or bathing suit and which are inflated by opening a cartridge of gas. However, none of the inflatable types of life preservers have the approval of the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard requires that all powered pleasure craft carry an approved vest-type life jacket or buoyant seat cushion for each person aboard the craft. The approved vest-type jackets have the advantage that they are designed to keep the head of the wearer above water. These are available in adult size and in several children’s sizes, and their use for young children is highly recommended.

First Aid

Sunburn, cuts, bruises, sprains, possible fractures, and drowning are the waterfront or water-sports hazards. A first-aid kit should be at every waterfront location and aboard every boat. At a minimum it should contain fresh first-aid supplies, adhesive bandage, sterile gauze pads, waterproof adhesive tape, triangle bandages, sunburn lotion and a warm blanket. In case of serious injury, attempts should be made to stop any bleeding, the patient should be wrapped in the blanket, and medical aid obtained.

Every person who participates in water activities should be prepared to give artificial respiration when necessary to restore breathing. The chart on pages 218 and 219 graphically details the currently approved method of artificial respiration.

Keywords: Sports, Water Sports, Skiing, Skin Diving, Scuba Diving, Kayak Surfing, Swimming

SENSIBLE precautions can do much to limit the accidents and fatalities which are an unpleasant accompaniment of the water-sports boom. Experience at Boy Scout and summer camps has indicated that the most common causes of waterfront tragedies are physical conditions such as heart diseases, epilepsy, fainting spells, and exhaustion. Failure to cling to capsized or swamped boats, and diving into shallow water, or striking underwater boulders or other obstructions, account for numerous accidents.

Water activity should be limited for individuals with a history of heart disease, epilepsy, or ear or sinus problems. Sinus and middle-ear infections are among the hazards of participation in water sports. These can be controlled if swimmers learn proper breathing from the start. Some specific safeguards are these: avoid entering the water from any height feetfirst, without holding the nose; avoid swallowing water while swimming or blowing the nose during and after swimming; avoid forceful expulsion of air while under water. Some camps observe a practice of applying a few drops of rubbing alcohol with an eye dropper to each outer ear following swimming, to aid in drying the ear passage and to prevent fungus ear infections.

Overlong immersion in water can be hazardous. Most water activities are strenuous and lower the resistance of the individual, and water temperature is an important factor in determining the safe swimming period. The ideal temperature for swimming is considered to be 78 to 80 degrees, and while individuals differ in their tolerance to water immersion, children should be limited to no more than 30 minutes in a swimming period, and 2 swimming periods during any one day. If the water temperature is 70 degrees or below, the swimming period should be reduced accordingly.

One of the cardinal rules in boating safety is “never leave the boat in case of accident.” A capsized or swamped wooden boat or canoe, or a fiberglass boat with built-in flotation, can support its passengers if they hold to the craft, keep their noses and mouths out of water, and do not try to climb aboard. If the boat is swamped topside up, the accepted practice is to put the nonswimmers or weaker swimmers inside the boat and try to “swim” it toward shore.

The bottom of any unfamiliar swimming area should be carefully examined to establish its formation and to discover any deep holes, stumps or rocks. Unless the swimming area is marked and supervised, a diving entry should never be used. It is safer to wade into the water, descend from a ladder, or use a “jump” entry. In ocean swimming, consideration should be given to undertows and the fact that offshore sand bars are highly unstable and subject to changes from tide and currents.

At the waterfront, or even in a home pool, a beginners’ area should be marked off, and very young children or nonswimmers restricted to that area. This section can be marked off by using light rope or sash cord with brightly painted wooden floats. Small metal weights can serve as anchors to keep the buoy line in place. In lakes or bays, swimming areas can be marked off by buoys. These can be oilcans painted on the outside, or glass jugs painted on the inside. A jug can easily be painted by pouring some light enamel inside, replacing the cap, and shaking and turning the jug to spread the enamel while it is drying.

The Buddy System

The buddy system is in almost universal use in camps and in larger pools for group swimming. In this system every swimmer is paired with another swimmer in his own ability group. A check is made every 10 minutes and just before all swimmers leave the water. The signal for a buddy check is generally a single blast on a whistle or horn, or a bell signal. At the signal, each pair of buddies holds hands, remains silent, not moving until they receive the O.K. in the form of 2 blasts from the whistle. During swimming, the buddies are expected to remain together, watch each other, and aid the other if he should have any difficulty. Many skin-diving groups operate on a buddy system, and a similar setup should be arranged for any large group, or even for a family outing into the water.

Keywords: Sports, Water Sports, Skiing, Skin Diving, Scuba Diving, Kayak Surfing, Swimming