Individuals should not swim in condition that their ability and experience will not allow them to handle. Many safety hazards exist even in a pool.
These hazards include misjudging a dive and hitting ones head on the bottom, holding ones breathe too long becoming exhausted, and experiencing sudden cramps while too far from the shore (recreational bottom and swimming)In rivers and oceans, all swimmers should respect power of nature.
Powerful waves, tides and currents can easily over power even the most experienced swimmers sweeping them out beyond safety or throwing them into corals or rocks.
Cave poses additional problems because swimmers can be trapped inside them. Swimmers must follow the instructions of lifeguards and obey posted information about water conditions, tides, and the dangers such as jellyfish or pollution.
A good precaution for children is the buddy system, which each child is paired with another while in water; this system ensures that no person is swimming alone and that if an emergency does happen the life guard can be notified immediately.
Swimmers on standby in case of an emergency are survivors. The basic rescue procedure which is the personal survival skills should be the watchword of prospective. The basic procedure which is reach, throw and go principles.
CRAMPS: cramps occur after a prolonged exertion of the muscle, resulting in spasm which is an involuntary and painful contraction of one or more muscle usually in the hand, foot, calf. thigh or abdominal wall.
This incapacitates the swimmer because of the fright and pains.
Stomach cramps is usualy experienced after along layoff and eating half an hour (1/2 hr) before swimming. Some schools of thought believe that you can get right back in the swim of things provided you do it leisurely and easy. The relief is to float on your back to relax the stomach muscle.
Calf eramps: stretching the involved muscles and applying firm pressure
from the time the first twinges of pain are felt until the spasm is gone (i.e gasping your toes and pulling your foot upwards, towards you).
SWIMMER’S EAR: when your ears itching and clogged. It begins when water gets in your ear; provialng a moist environment those bacteria or fungi thrive in.
Otolaryngology’s reports that as long as your ear-drum is not perforated (you would know by the hearing loss or fluid draining out of the ear).
You can safely put drops made with equal parts of rubbing alcohol to white vinegar into your ear to evaporate the water. Tilt your head and put a few drops in each ear. Once the drops are all the way in, raise your head and Wipe away the excess.
PRECAUTIONS:
Always check the pulses, confirm breathing, and never press the stomach in order to get rid of the fluid in the system. Do not swim
when there is thunder storm and lightning
OPEN CUT (WOUND).
Head injury may be sustained in diving or in a collision with a log or other submerged object (plates, ledges etc) while swimming.
Causes: wrong timing and slips Remedy:
First Aid-box comes handy in this case. Arrest the bleeding first and transferred to the nearest medical centre.
Hemophilic person should very carefully and safety conscious.
EYES IRRITATION
This could be experienced when submerged in salt water or high
concentrated of chlorine in the swimming pool.
Remedy: Goggles should be worn.
STOMACH-ACHE
Experience after diving, using the stomach as the first contact with water (pool)
Remedy: Good diving skills. Correct diving recommends that the hands
should make contact with the pool first for efficient diving and less resistant.
FATIGUE
This is natural (causes unknown). But the rate of this depends on oxyge
and glucose in the heart and blood system and removal of carbon-dioxide
and lactic acid. Your psychological state also influences the sensation of fatigue.
- Prolong training reduces fatigue due to the good conditioning of the muscles.
R.W.I (Recreational Water illness) is part of some safety hazards that should
be considered while choose a good swimming pool or beach by learners and
swimmers.
What is Recreational water illnesses?
Recreational water illnesses (RWls) are the various illness caused by germs
that can contaminate water in pools, lakes, and the ocean. The most common
RWI is diarrheal illness caused by germs like “Crypto” and E.Coli.
How is diarrheal illness spread?
How is diarrheal illness spread?
You share the pool water with everyone. A person with diarrhea can easily contaminate the pool with fecal matter. Germs that cause diarrheal illness
can be spread when swimmers swallow contaminated water.
How is diarrheal illness spread?
How is diarrheal illness spread?
You share the pool water with everyone. A person with diarrhea can easily
Contaminate the pool with fecal matter. Germs that cause diarrheal illness
can be spread when swimmers swallow contaminated water.
- Pool water is not drinking water. Practice good hygiene. Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toile or changing diapers.
Germs on your body end up in the water. Please keep an eye on your child at all times. Remember, kids can drown in seconds and in silence. Also use appropriately fitted life jackets instead of
air-filled or foam toys (such as “water-wings”). These toys are not designed to keep children safe.
Where RWIs are found?
RWls can be spread through use of swimming pools, hot tubs, decorative
water fountains, oceans, lake, and rivers.
Swimming Pools, Water parks, Spray Features
The most common illness spread through use of swimming pools is diarrhea.
If swimmers are ill with diarrhea, the germs that they carry can contaminate
the water if they have an “accident in the pool. On average, people have about 0.14 grams of feces on their bottoms which, when rinsed off can contaminate recreational water.
When people are ill with diarrhea, their
stool can contain millions of germs. Therefore, swimming when ill with
diarrhea can easily contaminate large pools or water parks. As a result, if someone swallows water that has been contaminated with feces, he/she may become sick.
Many of these diarrhea-causing germs do not have to be swallowed in large
amount to cause illness. Remember that standing water is not necessary for
RWI’S to spread so even spray decks can become contaminated (the water is
Just in a collection tank underground) and spread illness.
To ensure that most germs are killed, chlorine or other disinfectant levels and PH should be checked regularly as part of good pool operation.
Hot Tubs
Skin infections like “hot tub rash” are the most common RWls spread through hot tubs and spas. Chlorine and other disinfectant levels evaporate more quickly because of the higher temperature of the water in the tubs Respiratory Illnesses are also associated with hot tub use if the hot tubs are not well maintained.
Because of this it is important to check disinfectant levels even more regularly than in swimming pools. “Hot tub rash can also be spread in pools and at the lake or beach.
Decorative Water Fountains
Not all decorative or interactive fountains are chlorinated or filtered. Therefore, when people, especially diaper-aged children, play in the water they can contaminate the water with fecal matter. Swallowing is contaminated water can then cause diarrheal illness.
Questions to Ask Your Local Beach Health Monitoring Official:
Which beaches do you monitor and how often?
What do you test for?
- Were can I see the test results and who can explain them to me
- What are the primary sources of pollution that affet the beach
- What to do if the Beach is Not Monitored Regularly:
Avoid swimming after a heavy rain.
Look for storm drains (pipes that drain polluted water from streets)
along the beach. Don’t swim near them.
Look for trash and other signs of pollution such as oil slicks in the water. These kinds of pollutants may indicate the presence of disease causing micro organsms that may also have been washed into the water.
If you think your beach water is contaminated, contact your local
health or environmental protection officials. It is important for them
to know about suspected beach water contamination so they can protect citizens from exposure.
Work with your local authorities to create a monitoring program.
Is the Water Safe for Swimming?
The water at the beach looks clean, but is it? of their beach water. In addition, adequate arrangement should be made to detect pollution as well as develop method method that will help predict when pollution may occur.
With advance warning provided by the local authorities, you will be able to decide when and were to swim.
