Hamilton, NJ
1. A person can drown in as little as 30 millimeters of liquid.
It is a very common misconception that drowning can only occur in large bodies of water. Parents often will let their guard down while their children are in the shallow end of a pool compared to the deep end. There are records of people drowning in buckets, toilets, and even puddles.
2. Drowning can be hard to identify; someone is not shouting for help or waving their arms.
When someone is drowning, their body goes into a biological survival response. The respiratory system’s first priority is breathing meaning that communication is second. Further, one will rarely be waving their arms because they are too busy trying to tread water and keep their mouth above water. This is why it so important to keep an eye on swimmers, whether children or
teenagers or young adults, at all times.
3. Children are more susceptible to drowning.
According to the CDC, drowning is the second biggest killer for children 1-4 in the United States, right behind birth defects. The rates are highest for children under 5 and people 15-24. 80% of drowning deaths are male, and African Americans are anywhere between 5-10 times more likely to drown than white children of similar age groups. These staggering statistics are scary, but let them motivate us to change those trends.
4. Swimming while intoxicated greatly increases your chances of drowning.
70% of deaths caused by drowning among adults and adolescents involved alcohol use, according to the CDC. Alcohol impairs your judgment, your balance, and your motor skills. The CDC also warns that exposure to the sun’s heat will increase the effects of alcohol. So it’s very important not to swim while under the influence of alcohol. But let us also remember that if you are responsible for watching teens and children in the water, you should also lay off that wine cooler.
5. New Jersey’s rate of drowning has increased in recent years.
Many would assume that with New Jersey’s proximity to the ocean and the abundance of pools, that drowning is very unlikely. Unfortunately, this is not the case. In 2017, the amount of drowning-related deaths during Memorial Day Weekend doubled from the previous year. Safe Kids NJ Director Carol Ann Giardelli says that swimmers should use the buddy system and never swim alone. She also says that swimmers should not swim when lifeguards aren’t present. Most of the deaths that occurred in 2017 were when lifeguards were not on duty.
Drowning is entirely preventable, which is why we are so proud to be doing the work we’re doing.
British Swim School Jersey Shore offers premium swimming lessons for babies, children, and adults. We proudly serve the communities of Howell, Toms River, Lakewood, Freehold, Brick, Jackson, Jackson Mills, Wall, Neptune, Manchester, Adelphia, Point Pleasant, Farmingdale, Colts Neck, Whitesville, Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Manasquan, Point Pleasant, Brielle, Siloam, Smithburg, Lakehurst, Bay Head, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Ocean Township, Berkeley Township, Beachwood, Ocean Gate, Island Heights, Forked River and Pine Beach.
Call (609) 245-0951 or enroll directly online.
