Drowning Accidents

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21363, 4 January 1935, Page 8

Drowning Accidents

The summer, with its accompanying warm weather, has brought the usual number of drowning accidents. The common report after each is either that the victim was unable to swim or was a poor swimmer. Moreover, attempts at rescue, also by poor swimmers or non-swimmers, frequently imperil the lives and sometimes cause the deaths of the rescuers as well. Several lessons may be learnt from these facts. The first and most important, of course, is that everyone should learn to swim and learn to swim well. With the facilities now available to everyone there is little excuse for not knowing how to swim and real proficiency follows with reasonable practice. But most swimming accidents are caused through insufficient care -being exercised by poor swimmers in the selection of their bathing areas. It is not always easy to decide in river bathing whether a swimming pool is safe. The inefficient swimmer should make caution always his watchword, remembering that if he himself gets into trouble his rescue i might lead others into danger. Sea

bathing is equally hazardous for the. unaccomplished swimmer and even good swimmers should not take unnecessary risks which may involve difficult and perilous rescues. The bathing beaches near Christchurch, though generally safe enough, are sometimes deceptively dangerous, and too many persons take unnecessary and perilous chances when they could enjoy their swim equally while exercising reasonable caution. The surf life-saving clubs do valuable service in marking areas within which it is safe to bathe under their supervision. The public should support their efforts and help them to maintain the safety of the beaches for all classes of swimmers by observing the rules that the clubs in their wisdom and experience have laid down. A knowledge of rescue and resuscitation methods, easily gained and practised, should be part of the equipment of every good swimmer.- The occasion to use it may never come, but it is worth remembering that lack of it has cost valuable human lives.