Each year, 6,000 people drown in the United States. Of that total, about 5,000 would have survived if they had worn a life jacket. More than 3,000 people who drown each year had been using alcohol or drugs at the time (see the “First aid for drowning” instructions on page 29).
The three major causes of drowning are:
- Failure to wear a life jacket
- Drinking alcohol or using drugs
- Poor swimming ability
Water recreation safety tips
When swimming in rivers or lakes, or when rafting or boating:
- Wear a life jacket. Do not depend on your raft or other inflatable vessel to keep you afloat. Life jackets are available on loan at many American River parks in Sacramento from March to October. Look for the “Kids Don’t Float” sign and follow the posted directions.
- Wearing a life jacket is mandatory for children under the age of 13 in public rivers and lakes in Sacramento County. Parents or guardians who fail to equip their children with a flotation device can be cited for a misdemeanor and fined up to $500.
- Learn to swim.
- Don’t drink or use drugs.
- You can rescue someone without risking your life. To attract attention, yell “Help!” Reach someone struggling in the water with a pole, branch or paddle, or throw the individual something that will float, such as an ice chest or inner tube.
- If you are involved in a boating accident, stay with your boat. Climb on top and wait for help.
- Remember that water in Sacramento lakes and rivers may be cold and swift. Leave the water at the first signs of hypothermia, which is a dangerous body temperature decrease that can affect the function of your muscles and your brain. Hypothermia symptoms include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech and blurred vision.
Safety tips for swimming pools
- Learn to swim.
- Never take your eyes off a child near a pool.
- Enclose the pool completely with a self-locking, self-closing fence.
- See First Aid/CPR section on pages 22–31 of this guide.
