Water and summer go together: Don't court disaster

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sean Johnson
  • 341st Missile Wing Safety Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Vic was the model Airmen. A gold medalist in high school swimming, Vic had just finished his second round of Air Force water survival training as an aircraft loadmaster two weeks before. He and a group of his wingmen planned a weekend outing to include a day of drinking and camping at the lake Vic grew up swimming in.

Later on the first day of the camping trip, after playing games and staying warm around the campfire, Vic wanted to go swimming under the stars. His three buddies agreed but only if they all kept chemical glow sticks to better keep up with each other in the darkness.

A couple hours later, everyone was tired and wanted to go to bed. His buddies yelled for Vic to come in and he agreed. A few minutes went by and he didn't show up. Hours of searching led to a call to 911. The sheriff called off the search until the morning where more light would help divers.

Divers found Vic's body less than 20 feet from where he'd been seen last. There was very little evidence of what transpired other than his chemical glow stick was on the edge of a boat parked at the dock. The only thing investigators could think had happened was he tried to climb into the boat and slipped possibly hitting his head. The events were perplexing, but Vic was dead.

Vic's name is fictional but the story is not. This story is pulled from an actual mishap report done by a fellow Air Force base safety office. The factual content of what led to the death of an Airman who was in peak physical shape and training is heartbreaking.
Unfortunately, the facts are all too common and could happen to someone you know on Malmstrom Air Force Base.

The Center for Disease Control reports water-related injuries are a serious problem. In 2007, 3,443 unintentional, non-boating related drowning fatalities occurred. That is nearly 10 fatalities per day! With more than 75 percent of those deaths from people aged 15 or older, it is safe to say the Airmen within Air Force Global Strike Command are at risk. The sad facts of the outcome of unsafe behavior around water touch everyone in the Air Force family, but as with most injuries and death, they are avoidable.

As adults, Airmen have a developed sense of judgment. Using Operational Risk
Management directs our judgment to make informed decisions on risk mitigation. As the summer progresses and temperatures increase, off-duty time becomes a time for having fun. Swimming in pools and natural bodies of water is an excellent form of relaxation and good for your fitness, also. Understanding the risks involved with swimming in any form of water is pertinent to Airmen safety.

Obviously, to people of all ages, being in water poses a drowning threat. The first step in risk management is to identify the hazards. Proper attire for swimming is not long sleeve shirts and pants. Try to know the depth of the water and do not dive in shallow water.

Alcohol consumption around water is a poor choice due to an inability to make sound decisions. The second step is to assess the risks. After realizing the risks of drowning, knowing what behaviors draw an increased risk of this happening is crucial. Thirdly, one must analyze for risk control measures. Next, come up with solutions to avoid water related injuries. The fifth step calls for to implementing those measures. Not jumping head first into shallow water, not drinking alcohol when swimming is in the agenda, and wearing clothing that allow the body to move easily through the water would be the implementation of those measures. The sixth and final step of ORM is to supervise and review. Just knowing the current risks is insufficient. Understanding that conditions change and new risks present themselves is key to responding to changing conditions and minimizing risks before they become a tragedy.

According to the World Report on Child Injury Prevention 2008, the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 15 is drowning. Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest incidence of water related fatalities. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports among children ages 1 to 4 years, most drownings occur in residential swimming pools. Most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time.

The steps to preventing these needless tragedies are simple in design and execution and start with supervision. Assign one adult to be the primary supervision of children around water. Also, teach children to swim. Adults should learn CPR for their child's safety. Finally, personal flotation devices for children are very important. However, the confusion of what is and what is not a PFD can play into a risky situation.

A life jacket is a United States Coast Guard approved PFD. These are available for children based on their weight. Do not use air-filled or foam toys, such as "water wings," "noodles," or inner-tubes, in place of PFD's. These toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe.

Malmstrom Air Force Base and the City of Great Falls as well as the state of Montana have wonderful resources for swimming and recreating this summer. Swimming is a great way to have fun and we all deserve a break every now and then. Use risk management to make your swimming experience memorable and safe. No one wants an outing to turn into a tragedy.