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MEDICAL EXAMINER recipe feature PAGE 7

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TAKE HOME T HI S C O P WITH Y Y OU !

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AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

MAY 20, 2016

DO NOT

GO JUMP IN THE LAKE E specially if you’re not a good swimmer, or you don’t know how to swim at all. Sounds like simple advice, almost a nobrainer. Yet for the 2005 to 2014 decade, an average of 3,868 people drowned each year in the United States. That’s an average of more than ten drownings every single day. It’s safe to say that the majority of these thousands of deaths were preventable. The CSRA is no stranger to tragedies of this type. Less than a month ago a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the lake turned tragic when Robert Ballard, a 16year-old Greenbrier student, lost his life. The official incident report said he could not swim, yet went under 20 to 30 yards from shore. Although personnel from six agencies responded (Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia County Fire & Rescue, EMS, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Columbia County EMA Dive Rescue and Recovery Team and the US Army Corps of Engineers) it took almost three hours from the time the initial 9-1-1 call was received until Ballard’s body could be found and

recovered in water about 45 feet deep. with virtually no warning. If Robert Ballard could deliver a message to every What can you do to be safe in and around water? person reading this article today, it’s not difficult to Step one: learn to swim. Make sure your kids imagine what it would be: know how. 1. wear a life jacket, and Supervise like someone’s life depends upon it, 2. avoid all situations that are beyond your because it just might. That’s true even if everyone in personal skills as a swimmer. the water (whether lake, pool or ocean) Some people have the feeling that knows how to swim. The designated wearing a life jacket or other personal watcher should not be reading a book, flotation device (PFD) isn’t cool or texting, or doing anything but watching doesn’t look stylish. It interferes with the swimmers. It only takes a few tanning. “And besides, if it looks like an seconds for trouble to strike. As the accident is about to occur, I can always picture above suggests, drowning is grab a life vest and quickly put it on.” not the loud, thrashing, splashing event True. Also, when you’re driving you that movies and TV portray. That’s why can quickly buckle your seat belt if it vigilance is so important. looks like a collision is about to happen. When boating, wear approved life jackets at all times. That goes for Good luck with that. Safety has to be everyone on board. practiced ahead of time, even when it Avoid drinking alcohol before or seems like there’s not a whiff of danger “Excuse me? Who said life in sight. Unfortunately, peril can arrive jackets aren’t cool?” Please see WATER SAFETY page 6

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