Show HN: Spot the Drowning Child

Post by frogpelt » Wed, Jul 29, 2015, 1:21 PM UTC

yellowapple wrote: post #128

morgante wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We're more than happy to ban guns, while they're not even close to as dangerous as swimming pools. What? Guns cause over 3 times as many deaths as drowning.

Not to mention that guns are actually meant to kill things (usually; some guns aren't, even if they're still capable of doing so), unlike pretty much all swimming pools (that I know of; I'd be concerned if there were swimming pools designed to kill things). Comparing pools to guns (or cigarettes, for that matter) is a stretch on the scale of at least 27 slinkies.

Post by TazeTSchnitzel » Wed, Jul 29, 2015, 1:35 PM UTC

Crito wrote: post #300

themartorana wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having guarded for several years at a popular club (and having had one of only two requires saves at the club in my tenure) I can tell you this isn't true. I will allow that their parents should pay closer attention (or attention at all). Fatigue sets in quickly (and sometimes almost instantly). In my case it was a young girl who was a fine swimmer (on the swim team) and had been playing in the pool all day on a hot…

> "very much like the video, and suddenly found herself struggling to break the surface of the water." I am unable to view OP's site at the moment so I'm not sure if you mean there was something on top of her. Anyway, in open water "being able to swim" should include a "rescue/recovery float" ability. AKA, the ability to float indefinitely with little or no expended effort (ideally no effort at all, but some people h…

Post by DEinspanjer » Wed, Jul 29, 2015, 1:37 PM UTC

novaleaf wrote: post #130

irishcoffee wrote: post #30

I would like to point out that any flotation device in a pool besides a life jacket is just asking for problems. I life-guarded for almost 10 years, the only way I would ever let anything that supported a human floating __besides__ an approved life jacket was if the pool was almost empty (such that the one person got my undivided attention) and if I knew the child to already be a strong swimmer. I highly encourage ev…

water wings are also terrible at teaching kids to swim: they can't properly use their arms wearing wings. I had both my kids (currently 3 and 5) learn to swim by having them wear inflatable vests. When they started they had fully inflated vests. every week or so I would deflate it bit by bit, until they are wearing a fully deflated vest. At that point the vest is just for emotional support, and they can pretty much h…

Post by irishcoffee » Wed, Jul 29, 2015, 2:37 PM UTC

corin_ wrote: post #361

irishcoffee wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was tempted to go on a diatribe about your comment, but I'll leave it at this: my job was to guard lives, not provide entertainment. Nobody died, which gave every person I guarded the opportunity to pursue an anti-boring life in whatever way they see fit.

I'm not saying you drew the line in the wrong place, as I know nothing about the subject, but surely you could also close the pool so nobody can use it for the same reason of "saving lives, not providing entertainment"

Post by MrDosu » Wed, Jul 29, 2015, 3:01 PM UTC

sampo wrote: post #307

haddr wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Once we did rafting and our monitor guy told us: when you fall into the water and find yourself under the boat, just don't panic. Don't try to move your head up but rather chose whatever direction and swim until you reach the either side. We thought it would never happen, but we ended up few times in the water just like just like that. And even though it's just a few seconds you are quite disoriented and at first tim…

Sounds like an easy thing to practice? Go to a pool with a boat, dive under the boat, and practice getting out. Like people who do kayaking practice how to get out when the kayak turns upside down.