Swimming Accidents

Summer is the best season of the year to head out to the beach or pool and cool off from the extremely hot temperatures. While swimming is fun activity that you can share with family and friends, you must never let your guard down to avoid accidents from happening.

Type of Swimming Accidents

Even for individuals who know how to swim, several swimming accidents and fatalities could happen. Therefore, it is important to practice safety precautions while enjoying a dip in the waters. Another important information you need to know is that swimming accidents are not only isolated in the ocean. There are also several reported incidents of accidents on the pool, which sadly mostly involves young children.

• Drowning – This is the most common form of injury or accident that could happen during swimming. In fact, there are several reported cases of swimming pool drowning accidents involving young children.
• Diving Injuries – Most pools and other swimming commodities come with slides, diving boards, and other swimming facilities. However, diving injuries can be fatal without proper safety measures within the facility.
• Personal Injury – This could be an existing medical condition that can be triggered while the person is swimming, thus threatening their life and safety.
• Premises Liability – This is a type of swimming accident or injury that is caused by the lack of safety measures within the facility that might help prevent such accidents from occuring.

Rescuing a Drowning Victim

This is one of the more serious types of accidents that can happen while swimming. When trying to rescue a drowning victim, panic could set in and endanger the lives of both the victim and the rescuer. Hence, you need to act quickly and logically under these circumstances. Here are basic first aid tips when you observe someone drowning:

• Before heading out to rescue a drowning victim, secure a flotation device (even for those who can swim). This will help prevent both of you from becoming a victim.
• If there are other rescuers available, have someone call for emergency rescue.
• For a conscious victim, hand out a rigid object that is sturdy enough for the victim to grab and hold on to.
• You can also use a rope and throw it onto the victim for them to grab. You can attach a life preserver into the rope and throw it to the victim.
• If there are several other rescuers involved, you can send out one to swim towards the victim. However, it is important to tie a rope around his waist and held onto at the shore.

Epilepsy and Swimming Accidents

People with epilepsy typically suffer from swimming accidents. Those with tonic seizures are more in danger due to the possibility of expelling air from the diaphragm in an instant. The best way to prevent accidents from happening is to try and avoid swimming.

However, if an epileptic individual does head out for a swim, it is important that the following conditions are met for added safety:

• Make sure the person is accompanied by a person with knowledge of his/her condition and must also be a competent swimmer. One person should be enough.
• If possible, swim only in swimming pools with clear water. Avoid going into the deep.

Jelly Fish Sting Treatment

Jelly fish sting is a common type of swimming accident, particularly when swimming in the ocean. Another reason why several people who go swimming report jelly fish sting is that they are virtually invisible and could sneak up on you without notice.

Here are some first aid tips for jelly fish stings:

• Use salt water to rinse the jelly fish tentacles off. Avoid using fresh water for it will only worsen the pain.
• With a gloved hand or tweezer, remove any remaining tentacles.
• Be sensitive for signs of severe allergic reactions on the victim.
• Vinegar or acetic acid is one of the highly recommended neutralizer for the toxins emitted by the nematocysts.
• If possible, immobilize the area of sting.
• You can relieve pain by taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen, or by using an ice pack.

First Aid Kit for Swimming Accidents