The Silence that NEEDS to be Heard- What You Need to Know About Drowning.
I know some of you are still in pre-spring weather but for those of us in Florida, we're already experiencing 80 degree weather. That means trips to the pool, the beach and trips out on the boat. An unfortunately, this also means that there will be fatalities due to unintentional drownings. 
In the most recent figures from the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) there were 3,443 fatal unintentional drownings in the United States, averaging 10 deaths per day. More than 1 in 5 are children 14 and younger.
The saddest news I hear when listening to the evening news is that another child has died as a result of drowning.
As we shake our heads, and do a quick mental check of our own homes and pool areas, we can feel comfortable knowing that we've installed the requisite safety fences; that we make sure there is an adult present when our children are in the pool; that we have flotation devices near the pool.... we've also given our children swimming lessons.... they swim like fish.
But let me share with you a cautionary tale... a true one.
My good friend's daughter, who just turned 15 and has been swimming since she could walk
almost drowned several years ago.
She and her friends were in their neighbor's pool with parents sitting nearby.
Her best friend noticed she was missing, but no one could see or hear her.
It turns out she had bumped her head in the pool and was at the bottom of it!
Thankfully she was pulled out and CPR started and all is well today.
NO SCREAMING... NO CRIES FOR HELP... NO FLAILING OF ARMS
The Instinctive Drowning Response is none of the above.... when someone is drowning they instinctively press their arms in a downward movement to lift their bodies out of the water. This helps to keep their heads above water. Trying to wave is usually out of their control.
Screaming for help may be out of the question as well. If a person is coming up... their head out of the water... they usually have just enough time to gasp for air... not call out to someone. Don't dismiss someone, though, that is thrashing the water and yelling for help! This is aquatic distress and may occur before the instinctive drowning response.
be vigilant.
Listen for the Silence.
