Water safety for all

BAVINA SOOKDEO

On October 2, 57-year-old Collin Trabulay drowned at Flower Pot Beach, Pointe-a-Pierre. Just weeks earlier, on August 14, 22-year-old Andrew Curtis Clarke lost his life while swimming at Penzance Beach, Balandra and on August 17, 33-year-old Nigel Dudoon disappeared beneath the waters of Columbus Bay, Cedros.

According to swimming coach Neil A Daniel, these tragedies highlight the urgent need for stronger water safety education – something he has spent his life championing.

For over three decades, Daniel has been teaching people how to swim and more importantly, how to stay safe in and around water. With 34 years of coaching experience, the founder of Neil’s Swim School (established in 1994) and Tsunami Swim Club (2003), La Romain believes that water safety is a matter of both skill and awareness.

“Too many of us are complacent,” Daniel said. “We think everything is just right and only think of our own enjoyment and we feel we can do anything we want.” That mindset, he warned, can lead to tragedy.

Questioned on what basic water safety rules every child and adult should know before swimming or playing near water, Daniel emphasised that the first step is to be observant and be aware. “The first thing is basic common sense,” he stressed. “Be observant. Look at everything. Look at where things or objects are located – trees, rocks, flowers, sand. How far or near animals are or if there is a lack of them. If there is debris or not, if something looks suspicious. Just be observant and aware.” At the beach, he also recommends having a designated watchman to supervise everyone.

He advises against diving into shallow or murky/muddy water, jumping or diving near rocks or swimming alone. “Go into water as a group,” he said, stressing that adults must always supervise children. “On the beaches and pools, obey flags and signs.”

Beyond beaches and rivers, Daniel is deeply concerned about water safety at home. “Any open water source should be secured properly,” he stressed. “Too many parents have lost their little ones to unguarded moments around these bodies of water.”

His recommendations are:

• Pools should be fenced and double-gated.

• Tanks and barrels should be securely sealed and made difficult to climb into.

• Bushes near ponds and rivers should be cleared to provide visibility.

• Flotation devices should be placed at strategic locations.

When asked what signs adults should look for to know if someone – especially a child – is in distress in the water, the instructor described four common indicators:

• The wave: “Hands are extended overhead and moved laterally in frantic motion. The head is submerged and the body is in a vertical position.”

• The climb: “Hands and legs make motions as if climbing a ladder.”

• The stare: “The person is totally submerged, eyes opened in absolute panic and horror. The body is frozen from being overwhelmed by panic.”

• The shout: “Loud or garbled attempts to attract attention, usually while attempting the climb.”

“Any person in distress will exhibit similar signs” explained Daniel.

Learn to swim

So how important is formal swim instruction and at what age does the instructor recommend children start swimming lessons? Daniel said swim classes are absolutely imperative at any age. “I cannot state that loudly enough” he said. “The starting age is up to the parents. Some parents are softhearted, some parents are tough. So that will influence when they start. There are service providers that will start your child from an infant stage. But no matter what age you start from, swimming is a process. It takes a long time to master and become comfortable and confident with your skill sets.” Daniel teaches ages two to 92.

Asked to offer advice for adults who never learnt to swim but want to feel safer in and around water, he encouraged, “Start. No matter your age, just start classes. No matter what hang ups, difficulties or problems – just start.”

Saving someone in distress

When it comes to saving someone in distress, Daniel cautioned that “effecting a rescue always presents an element of risk. A rescue can fail, resulting in one or more deaths.” He explained that risks can be mitigated by “using good procedures and judgment.”

He recommends using reaching rescues (a non-contact way to effect a rescue) whenever possible, keeping the rescuer at a safe distance:

These are divided into two categories:

Rigid reaching – rescues can be effected with a sturdy stick or any stiff/rigid device.

Non-rigid reaching – rescues can be effected by using a rope, clothing or a floatation device attached to a rope.

Contact rescues, he stressed, are “highly risky for the untrained.” In emergencies, forming a human chain can help reduce danger.

Rescuing relatives, Daniel added, is especially difficult. “It is a highly charged emotional process. Adrenaline takes over. You either charge in with little regard for yourself or you panic. Both reactions are normal.”

His advice: “Ideally, as an adult, get some basic training so you can inform your decisions. Very basic life-saving can be done in a few sessions. A little knowledge can go a long way.”

Questioned on the role proper supervision plays, and what should responsible supervision look like in different settings? Daniel emphasised, “Supervision is supervision. It is disciplined. It is authoritative. It is vigilant. It can be quiet. It can be loud. It does not change. Only the environment changes.”

For him, water safety is about more than rules; it is about respect. “People go to aquatic environments for recreation, to spend time with family and friends. They go for reasons that are valuable to the heart and soul. Be observant. Be kind to others. Take care of the environment and live peacefully.”