It's happened again -- another mass drowning in a shallow river.

[kamik86]

Besides the obvious of learning to swim or wearing a lifejacket when in or near water?

Even with a life jacket the above tip about going on your back is good to know. That way the jacket can't ride up (if its fit properly it wont' but not everyone wears them right) and force you to be face down.

 

[luvmy3]

For anyone that is reading this and can't swim: If you ever find yourself in deep water, float on your back with your head back as far back as you can go and your whole body completely relaxed. The water will carry you. This works for me...anyone else have tips?

Not that your tip isn't a good one, the smart thing to do is to take lessons and learn to swim before even going into a natural body of water. That will give you the greatest chance of getting yourself out of a situation like the kids in the OP. If you aren't willing to take lessons, stick to pools with clearly marked depth levels and a lifeguard.

 

[bettymae1121]

How horrible!

My mother never learned to swim (wouldn't set foot on a boat without a life jacket because of it), but made sure my brothers and I learned as soon as we were old enough because she knew that it wasn't only something fun for us to do in the summer, it could also save our lives one day. Even good swimers get into trouble, but knowing how to swim can still buy you a few minutes until someone can rescue you.

 

[Poppinsme]

This is all over the news here in New Orleans.


6 teens drown in Red River in Shreveport; 7th rescued

http://www.wwltv.com/news/6-teens-drown-in-Red-River-in-Shreveport-7th-rescued-99834654.html

How simply awful.

 

[tevagirl]

Heartbreaking.

 

[monkeybug]

I always feel like I'm being overprotective because even though my kids can swim they have to wear life jackets when in the river, and back home I even wear a life jacket.
Where I grew up the water wasn't predictable and there could be strong currents beneath a still surface. It was common for experienced strong swimmers to drown.
When we go to our neighborhood beach our kids are always the only ones in life jackets, the water is shallow for a good distance and there is really not much of a current, but it's so ingrained in me that river=life jacket that I just can't let them in with out one. I can't imagine a group of non swimmers feeling comfortable enough to go into the water with out life jackets, but perhaps that's because of the area I grew up in.
I feel so sad for this family, it's heartbreaking!

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm sure that panic did play a part, and I'm also pretty sure that after the first one went off the edge the others probably got in trouble by trying to help. One boy did survive; he was rescued by a passerby who could swim.

I don't think that there is much to gain by berating the parents of these kids -- they were teens, not little kids. This could just have easily happened when their parents were nowhere around. (And it HAS happened, many times. There is at least one drowning incident similar to this every single year where I live, almost always involving a young men who is horsing around in the shallows.) What we need to hope for is that the incident serves as a wake-up call and impels more communities to start talking out loud about water safety -- even in the shallows.

Only education will prevent this kind of thing, and if it can prevent even one incident, then it is worth it. We need to teach kids AND adults about what hazards can be present in natural bodies of water, to encourage depth warning signage in parks that contain bodies of water, and most of all, we need to try to eliminate the cultural divide that surrounds swimming in so many communities. I want EVERY kid (and every adult, too) to know how to swim -- and not just in a clear blue pool.

 

[disneyfans95]

None of the adults could swim, none of the kids could swim, and the kids went off to an area not meant for swimming.

Utterly tragic and utterly preventable.

Exactly. While it pains me to read about this, where are the adults in this?? IF they know they can't swim, the kids can't swim WTH are they even doing near the water??

Get a sprinkler or something. Just stay away from the river.

 

[jrmasm]

For anyone that is reading this and can't swim: If you ever find yourself in deep water, float on your back with your head back as far back as you can go and your whole body completely relaxed. The water will carry you. This works for me...anyone else have tips?

Never go in after a swimmer in trouble. Always use an object to throw to them and pull them in. A towel, a broom, hose etc.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm sure that panic did play a part, and I'm also pretty sure that after the first one went off the edge the others probably got in trouble by trying to help. One boy did survive; he was rescued by a passerby who could swim.

I don't think that there is much to gain by berating the parents of these kids -- they were teens, not little kids. This could just have easily happened when their parents were nowhere around. (And it HAS happened, many times. There is at least one drowning incident similar to this every single year where I live, almost always involving a young men who is horsing around in the shallows.) What we need to hope for is that the incident serves as a wake-up call and impels more communities to start talking out loud about water safety -- even in the shallows.

Only education will prevent this kind of thing, and if it can prevent even one incident, then it is worth it. We need to teach kids AND adults about what hazards can be present in natural bodies of water, to encourage depth warning signage in parks that contain bodies of water, and most of all, we need to try to eliminate the cultural divide that surrounds swimming in so many communities. I want EVERY kid (and every adult, too) to know how to swim -- and not just in a clear blue pool.

Their ages were 13-18 so while they weren't little kids, 13 is still a "kid". I don't think anyone here is berating the adults, we are just pointing out that when none of the people there including the adults could swim it was a horrible decision to have a family outing on the sandbar of a river. Its a tragedy but one that could have been prevented with some education and common sense. Maybe someone reading this who can't swim will think twice about taking their family to a river, or lake or anywhere else there isn't another adult that can swim so that they don't suffer the same tragic events.

 

[Jennasis]

I read the surviving kid was the one who fell in first.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Ohhhhh, how sad!!!!!!!

For those who can't seem to understand and for those who want to question or blame... I just had some observations.

First, from the look of this area, it was indeed a shallow and calm looking area..... And, these were not young kids which would naturally require supervision... It is a big tragedy... that just seemed to happen out of nowhere. Where I live, which is not in the deep south where the land is flat and the rivers are shallow.... Around here, it often drops off, is rocky, gets deep, and quickly. For me, what I see in that video seems like a baby-pool....

Secondly... and let me preface this by saying that I in NO way mean to offend anyone. Not at all... This is just an observation from what I seemed to notice in my younger days... (may or may not still be as true)

Why could nobody there swim?????? These are black families, and I think that the financial (money for swimming lessons) issue is WAY FAR OFF. In my experience, swimming, very simply, was not a part of the culture of black families. I live in the south, where all the kids spend the long hot summer months swimming in pools, rivers, creeks, etc... Naturally, like little fish... (one does not have to be a member of an expensive country club and take expensive lessons to be able to swim!) I can tell you that it was very, very, rare, and few, and far between to see black kids at these swimming locations. One time we went to a big picnic at a lake, one with an actual swimming area, and one of the families that were invited were black.... These were half grown strong healthy kids, and none of them had ever swim in their life.

This is just such a sad, sad, situation.....
They were innocently wading, and when one of them ended up in the sinkhole, I think the most unthinkable worst-case scenario played out.

 

[luvmy3]

Ohhhhh, how sad!!!!!!!

For those who can't seem to understand and for those who want to question or blame... I just had some observations.

First, from the look of this area, it was indeed a shallow and calm looking area..... And, these were not young kids which would naturally require supervision... It is a big tragedy... that just seemed to happen out of nowhere. Where I live, which is not in the deep south where the land is flat and the rivers are shallow.... Around here, it often drops off, is rocky, gets deep, and quickly. For me, what I see in that video seems like a baby-pool....

Secondly... and let me preface this by saying that I in NO way mean to offend anyone. Not at all... This is just an observation from what I seemed to notice in my younger days... (may or may not still be as true)

Why could nobody there swim?????? These are black families, and I think that the financial (money for swimming lessons) issue is WAY FAR OFF. In my experience, swimming, very simply, was not a part of the culture of black families. I live in the south, where all the kids spend the long hot summer months swimming in pools, rivers, creeks, etc... Naturally, like little fish... (one does not have to be a member of an expensive country club and take expensive lessons to be able to swim!) I can tell you that it was very, very, rare, and few, and far between to see black kids at these swimming locations. One time we went to a big picnic at a lake, one with an actual swimming area, and one of the families that were invited were black.... These were half grown strong healthy kids, and none of them had ever swim in their life.

This is just such a sad, sad, situation.....
They were innocently wading, and when one of them ended up in the sinkhole, I think the most unthinkable worst-case scenario played out.

The bolded I definitely disagree with. While they are older ANYONE who doesn't know how to swim requires supervision no matter what their age.

 

[laurie31]

I hadn't thought about this but I'm inclined to agree. If you just stepped off the ledge your still literally next to the shallow spot. It would take total panic to not be ok.

Then again I know how well people who are afraid of water panic. My husband can't swim. He is afraid of water so refuses to go in most times and won't learn. He went down a water slide with me and the bump into the pool at the end made us both fall off. I come up and turn to see him flailing and trying to swim and had to pull him up... Note we were in about 4-5 feet of water and he is 5'10" all he had to do was stand up.

DH used to be a water saftey instructor for the Red Cross. He saved someone once, in exactly that situation. The person was not in deep water, but they were panicked and they would have drowned. DH got close enough to them to shout "STAND UP!" and the guy instinctively did...and was then terribly embarrassed. But he could have died. Once that feeling of panic sets in, there's no logical thought going on.

What a tragedy for those families. If I understand correctly it is not just about money for lessons, but it's a cultural thing. (about AA children not being able to swim). I don't mean any offense by this; I have AA friends, and it's just not something they do. I don't know why. I'm not sure they know why either.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Oh no! I'm not sure I can watch the video right now.

That's just so, so sad! Those poor kids and families.

 

[Myothername]

Ohhhhh, how sad!!!!!!!


Why could nobody there swim?????? These are black families, and I think that the financial (money for swimming lessons) issue is WAY FAR OFF. In my experience, swimming, very simply, was not a part of the culture of black families. I live in the south, where all the kids spend the long hot summer months swimming in pools, rivers, creeks, etc... Naturally, like little fish... (one does not have to be a member of an expensive country club and take expensive lessons to be able to swim!) I can tell you that it was very, very, rare, and few, and far between to see black kids at these swimming locations. One time we went to a big picnic at a lake, one with an actual swimming area, and one of the families that were invited were black.... These were half grown strong healthy kids, and none of them had ever swim in their life.

I tend to agree with this. I am also from the South and you don't see black kids and adults swimming most of the time. But DS is a lifeguard and has been for 5 years. For 4 years it was at our local Elks Lodge and he never even had to jump in the water to pull someone out. But this summer he is working at a local swimming hole/water park. It is a spring fed swimming hole that has some water slides. He pulls kids out almost every day. Day before yesterday he pulled 10 kids out. This is a place that has the shallow area blocked in by walkways but kids still get in to deep. This particular day they had 3 church groups, all black kids and looks like few could swim. Fortunately so far they have not had to go so far as CPR but have come close. I just don't understand letting your child go in when they can't swim. DS has been swimming practically since birth but I still watched him like a hawk.

Someone posted a link to a video of a child drowning in a crowded swimming area. I showed it to my son and he said that he sees that all the time. These kids don't flail about and holler. They don't have the energy. They use all their energy to keep their head above water. It really scared me.

 

[MerMom60_94]

The only people I know who can't swim are phobic in some way. It still surprises me to hear about adults who can't swim.

I didn't learn how to swim until I was in my late thirties and had a toddler. You are exactly right. I was petrified of water over my head. I went to an adult swimming class at the local Y and going by the way everyone in the class stood at the deep end too afraid to jump in after several lessons, I would say you hit the nail on the head. Every one of us wore a look of panic and it took a lot of courage to finally take the chance and jump in. I would say I stood at the edge of the pool for a good 15-20 minutes before I could bring myself to do it. It is because of this phobia and the fact swimming can save your life that I got my daughter into lessons when she was about a year old. In actuality, she learned to swim before I did!

This story is so sad.

 

[disneyfans95]

I didn't learn how to swim until I was in my late thirties and had a toddler. You are exactly right. I was petrified of water over my head. I went to an adult swimming class at the local Y and going by the way everyone in the class stood at the deep end too afraid to jump in after several lessons, I would say you hit the nail on the head. Every one of us wore a look of panic and it took a lot of courage to finally take the chance and jump in. I would say I stood at the edge of the pool for a good 15-20 minutes before I could bring myself to do it. It is because of this phobia and the fact swimming can save your life that I got my daughter into lessons when she was about a year old. In actuality, she learned to swim before I did!

This story is so sad.

You did a great job overcoming that to learn! Shows that phobias like that can be beat if you got the willpower!

Super job and I bet your daughter is like a little fish in the water!

 

[LilyWDW]

Never go in after a swimmer in trouble. Always use an object to throw to them and pull them in. A towel, a broom, hose etc.

I hope people read this and remember this. Especially if you are not a trained life guard... but even those of us with training need to remember the dangers. If you grab a swimmer in trouble, you are in a ton of danger of ending up in trouble as well. In their panic, they will fight. You could be injured or possibly even pulled under with them.

 

[MerMom60_94]

You did a great job overcoming that to learn! Shows that phobias like that can be beat if you got the willpower!

Super job and I bet your daughter is like a little fish in the water!

It's funny because I swim now and I just don't know what I was so afraid of, but believe me I was! My parents did send me to lessons as a child and I was more afraid than ever by the time they were through. And yes, my daughter swims as well as she walks. She can just bob around for hours in the water.