Safety advocates: Drowning can happen in seconds, quietly

As families flock to pools, rivers or lakes to beat the summer heat, learning to swim can be a life-saving skill for children.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last year, from May to August, Clark County had three deaths with drowning listed as the cause that involved natural bodies of water, according to data from the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office.

Bryan Ocava - regional manager for Goldfish Swim Schools in Vancouver, West Linn and Sherwood, Ore. - said drowning can happen in seconds and is often silent. Ocava, who has 16 years of aquatic experience, said learning to swim as early as possible can make drowning preventable.

"We start lessons at 4 months old to build a culture around safety for the child," Ocava said. "Skills such as jumping in, turning around, swimming back to the wall, rolling over and floating are really important for children to know, because it only takes a second for a child to slip under the water."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children take swim lessons to protect against drowning starting at age 1. By age 4, if they haven't already started, most children are ready for swim lessons.

Demand for swim lessons is only increasing in Clark County, said Taylor Kilmer, aquatics supervisor for the city of Vancouver's Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department. Firstenburg and Marshall community centers offer a combined 120 swimming classes weekly, all of which are filled up for the summer, with some on a waitlist.

Small teacher-to-student ratios and a program designed to build on skills learned in class make it difficult to offer more spots, but Kilmer said the department is looking to add more teachers to offer more classes.

"Being in the Pacific Northwest, we're surrounded by water," Kilmer said. "Whether they're children or adults, we're teaching them how to be safe in and around the water. We're also teaching them skills that will help them in the event that there is an emergency."

Registration for fall sessions begins at 7 a.m. Aug. 12 for city residents and at 7 a.m. Aug. 13 for non-city residents. City residents pay $92 for a series of seven lessons; non-city residents pay $120.

At Goldfish Swim Schools at 8700 N.E. Vancouver Mall Drive in Vancouver, families can pay $40 per class in addition to a $35 annual membership fee. They can start at any time in the year.

Ocava said financial challenges can be a barrier for families seeking swim lessons. The swim school offers several free lessons for families that demonstrate financial hardship every quarter through partnerships with various organizations.

Ocava urges families to at least to sign up for a free trial the swim school offers.

"Usually after one class, a child will walk away learning at least how to be safer," Ocava said.

Even spending 30 minutes watching a free water safety video or reading safety tips with children at home can make the difference this summer, Ocava said.

Other safety measures

Clark County Fire District 6 Capt. Tony Lothspeich said adults and parents also should be alert when spending time in the water. Lothspeich coordinates the regional technical rescue team. On one summer day last year, the team was called to four water rescues and were able to recover only one victim.

"It's really sad," Lothspeich said. "I grew up swimming all around the county, and one of the things that we have that some other places in the United States don't is we have absolutely weird features under the water."

Lothspeich cautions against using alcohol and marijuana when swimming or boating.

Children should be supervised by adults anytime they are in or around water. Supervision requires complete attention - that means no phones - even if another adult is present, he said.

Lothspeich also urges people of all ages to wear a life jacket and to swim only in designated swimming areas. By law, children 12 years and younger must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket or vest on all vessels 18 feet or smaller.

If you believe someone is drowning in a lake or river, call 911 right away, Lothspeich said. This gives the best chance for rescuers to retrieve someone from the water.

"Reach with a paddle so they're not putting you in imminent danger," Lothspeich said. "Throw them a life jacket or something that they can hang on to and keep their head above water. The last option would be going and making what we call a contact rescue, which is basically swimming up to the person and grabbing them and bringing them back."

Ocava advises parents to also spend time making sure life jackets fit properly. Children also should take water breaks every 30 minutes when swimming. He also recommends families take a CPR course in case of emergencies.

"Drowning can happen in as little as a puddle," Ocava said. "This is a life skill that everybody needs to know."

This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.

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