Watch how a Buenos Aires policeman rescued a girl from drowning 1:00
(CNN) -
On Good Friday 2017, Wyatt Werneth received a call from his wife, who had gone grocery shopping with their daughter: The car broke down.
Please rescue us.
Werneth jumped into his vehicle to help, driving through Patrick Space Force Base near Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Werneth said that from the A1A highway you can see the ocean.
What he saw next was a twist of fate that led to a much more urgent rescue.
“I could see someone waving in traffic as I passed… I stopped to see what was going on;
I had an immediate instinct that something was going on in the water," Werneth recalled to CNN Travel.
"When I got to the berm, I didn't realize what I was getting into. There were multiple people in the water."
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He jumped over a three-foot fence to save his son from drowning
And they were in trouble.
A very serious one.
A backflow type problem.
The scene would give anyone the creeps, but at least Werneth was prepared.
He is an experienced lifeguard instructor and had water rescue equipment with him.
But with at least five people fighting in a violent rip current in the Atlantic, how would he save them all?
The stats are grim
The drowning figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are shocking.
An estimated 3,960 unintentional drowning deaths occur in the United States each year (including boating incidents).
That's an average of 11 drowning deaths per day.
Crowds flock to the sea and sand of Miami's South Beach.
Florida ranks fourth in drowning deaths per 100,000 people in the United States.
It is important to understand how to enjoy open water safely.
(lazyllama/Adobe Stock)
From 2015 to 2019, the states with the most drowning deaths per 100,000 people were:
1. Alaska
2. Hawaii
3. Louisiana
4. Florida
5. Mississippi
The global statistics are even more shocking.
There are an estimated 236,000 annual drowning deaths worldwide, according to the UN World Health Organization.
That gives an average of 647 people per day.
And then there are the even more numerous non-fatal drownings.
The CDC says that people who survive a drowning incident have a variety of outcomes: "From no injuries to very serious injuries or permanent disability."
The tragedy is that many of these deaths and injuries are preventable, experts say.
What can you do to enjoy the water, whether it's the ocean, river, lake or pool, safely and not join the ranks of drowning deaths?
Turns out a lot.
Who is most at risk?
Men jump into the waters of the Bosphorus on the Anatolian side, also known as the Asian side, of Istanbul.
Men around the world have a higher risk of drowning than women.
(Moe Zoyari/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Knowing who is most likely to drown is critical.
At-risk groups need the most attention.
Some of them in the United States are:
Younger people: Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest rates of drowning, the CDC says, mostly in swimming pools.
Men: account for almost 80% of fatal drownings.
More risk behaviors and alcohol consumption are cited as reasons.
Worldwide, the WHO reports that men have twice the rate of drowning deaths as women.
Minority groups: Fatal drowning rates for American Indians or Alaska Natives age 29 and younger are twice as high as whites.
For blacks, the rate is 1.5 times higher than for whites.
Drowning Prevention Tips
Children get a swimming lesson at a YMCA in Memphis, Tennessee.
Research shows that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning.
(Karen Pulfer Focht/The Commercial Appeal/AP)
The CDC stresses the importance of learning basic water safety skills and says that formal lessons can reduce the risk of drowning.
However, "children who have had swimming lessons still need close and constant supervision when they are in or near the water," the agency writes.
Don't get distracted by the TV, books, or phone when you see the kids in the water.
If you are drinking alcoholic beverages, stay out of the water and do not boat.
Impaired judgment and slow reactions can lead to tragedy.
People in boats and weaker swimmers, especially in open water, should wear life jackets.
And keep an eye on the weather.
Go outside if there is a thunderstorm or heavy rain.
Know the aquatic environments
People swim in the waves at Waimea Bay Beach Park on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii, under a warning flag.
Experts say don't underestimate the power of the waves, even if there is no official warning.
(Caleb Jones/AP)
Understand the waters you are about to enter.
Different bodies of water carry different types of hazards.
ocean return currents
These currents move away from the coast.
They often form on sandbar breaks and near piers and rock groynes.
Look for signs of a rip current before entering, says the American Lifesaving Association.
That can be "a narrow gap of darker, apparently calmer water between the breaking wave and rough water areas," a difference in the color of the water, or "a line of foam, algae, or debris moving seaward." .
How to Survive an Alligator Attack, or Better Yet Avoid It Altogether
Here's what to do if you're caught in a rip current:
Keep calm.
Rip currents don't pull you underwater, but they do pull you farther from shore.
Don't swim against the current.
Try to escape by "swimming out of the current in one direction following the shoreline," the USLA says.
You may be able to escape by floating or stepping on the water and ride the current.
If you're in trouble, yell and wave for help.
If you are not trained, do not try to rescue people yourself.
Find a life preserver, call 911, or throw a flotation device in their direction.
Instruct the person to swim parallel to the shore to escape.
Other Ocean Tips
The National Weather Service warns swimmers to beware of "shore breaking" waves.
They crash directly into the sand and can knock and disorient swimmers.
"When in doubt, don't go out," said Wyatt Werneth, who is also the public service spokesman for the American Lifesaving Association.
Swim Guide and Swim Ireland advise people to swim an hour before or an hour after low tide or high tide when the waters are generally calmer.
(But conditions may vary from beach to beach.)
Rivers
Tubing and other activities are popular on the rivers.
But fast currents and subsurface obstacles or debris can be dangerous.
Werneth said to check the river before you go in.
Personal watercraft hug the shoreline on Blue Marsh Lake near Reading, Pennsylvania.
In that state, you need a Boating Safety Education Certificate in your possession to operate one.
The US Coast Guard says you should wear life jackets that protect your torso while driving one.
Also, don't jump wakes and don't drink alcohol before trading.
(Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle/Getty Images)
lakes and ponds
The placid waters of lakes and ponds can lull mosquitoes and beachgoers into a false sense of security.
Sudden drop-offs and underwater debris can startle or entangle people, Werneth said, leading to panic and drowning.
He said to go in with a swim buddy.
Dive only in designated areas.
The USLA says to enter uncharted waters feet first to avoid hitting your head.
Swimmers should not enter areas through which fast boats and personal watercraft pass.
Swimming pools
The National Alliance for Drowning Prevention has this advice for pool owners: "Four-sided fences with self-closing gates, door and window alarms, and safety covers can help ensure children don't get into the water unawares." supervision".
And even if your children can swim, adults should keep a careful watch.
Keep flotation devices close at hand.
Nationwide Lifeguard Shortage
A lifeguard watches visitors swim at the Raging Waters Sacramento water park at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California.
There is a shortage of guards this year, so you should be more vigilant.
(David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Bernard Fisher, director of health and safety for the American Lifesaving Association, warned of a critical shortage of lifeguards this summer.
Werneth said the group's message has always been "swimming in front of a lifeguard."
But he said the reality of the shortage is sparking a new one: "Learn to swim, America."
"We want people to protect themselves. Designate someone in your family to be a water watcher. Have that person learn first aid."
And if someone can't swim and still wants to wade through the water, "put a life jacket on them. That will make a difference."
Operation Rescue
In 2017, on that Florida beach, Werneth's task was daunting.
But he had a cool head, decades of experience, and, fortunately, an experienced second aide on hand who he later learned was from the Air Force.
"He was just taking people out even before I got there... This guy from the Air Force was coming back with one. I saw he had one that was going unconscious and I immediately jumped in the water, swam, grabbed the unconscious person And I took it out."
He saved her from drowning and they fell in love
Werneth guesses they were about 150 feet away and recalls that they ended up pulling five teenage boys out of the water.
They weren't even in bathing suits, Werneth said, leading him to think it was a sudden decision to go into the ocean.
Would the group have died without the rescue that left him exhausted?
“I assure you that they would all have died… These people were going to help each other and that caused a chain reaction.
Do not go into the water to help anyone without a flotation device,” she said.
"It was the perfect time that I showed up and I was there to help those guys."
All because the family car had broken down.
But not everyone can rely on luck.
In the end, you need "confidence in the water", gained by experience and respect for the water.
"Fear is what generates the panic that generates drowning."
drowning
