Water Safety
From the Backyard Pool to the Open Ocean How to Avoid and Survive Water Emergencies
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So…you’ve fallen into 50 degree water and you can’t get out. What do you do? Unfortunately, even if you know how to swim, even if you have water experience, your survival time in temperatures below 55 degree Fahrenheit are not measured in hours or even minutes; they are often measured in seconds. A large percentage of drownings occur in less than a minute. Victims can be actively drowning in less than 30 seconds. Regardless of the water temperature, a majority of drowning victims perish less than six feet from shore, a dock, or other structure. I have had the sad experience of being on scene at several drownings. You do not want to be that person, and you certainly do not want to be standing over a loved one who has drowned. According to CDC data, drowning continues to be one of the leading causes of accidental death for children under 14 years of age and for people, especially men, in their teens and early 20s. Roughly 3,500 people drown every year in the United States, and many of these deaths could have been prevented. Don’t allow yourself to become a statistic. There are very basic and simple procedures you can adopt that will lower your chances of facing an emergency, and increase your chances of survival if you do. It is a misconception that drowning victims scream and splash. Most victims slip below the surface unheard and undetected by anyone. Every day in this country people drown within an arm’s length of another person. That may sound unbelievable, but it is an absolute fact. I know from personal experience that there is no more debilitating or frightening event than to be in trouble in the water with no one to help you. The physical and mental impact can kill even the hardiest and most experienced waterman very quickly. The decisions you make in the first few seconds can determine your fate. The good news is that you can survive. My goal in writing this book is to help you gain that knowledge to avoid the emergency altogether. The easiest way to survive an emergency is to never face one. However, even the most skilled and highly trained person can find themselves in a life or death emergency, so you also need to know what to do if you do find yourself alone in the water.
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About the Book
According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children under fourteen years of age, and it also ranks among the top causes of death for young men in their teens and twenties. The good news is that many of these tragedies can be prevented.
Ben Rayner relies on his vast experience as a water safety expert to share valuable information that will help water lovers not only avoid an emergency, but also learn to rely on a set of skills to survive should a life and death emergency become unavoidable. In his comprehensive guidebook, Rayner details how to stay safe, from the backyard pool to the open ocean. Learn how to avoid and survive, cold water immersion, why the help position is the most important water emergency survival skill, the proper use of safety equipment, the dangers of rip currents and swift water, boating safety rules, and the reasons why some victims live and others don’t.
Water Safety shares proven guidance tailored for both novice and seasoned water lovers that teaches how to apply practical skills to prevent and survive water emergencies.
About the Author
Ben Rayner is a former underwater egress and sea survival instructor with Survival Systems USA, Inc. and current executive director of Water Emergency Training, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to drowning prevention. He is an award-winning investigative journalist who has published articles in a wide variety of publications including Sailing magazine, Air Beat magazine, Atlantic Coast Fisheries News, and The Block Island Times.