Teen Drowning Prevention Campaign - Press Release

Contacts

Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center:
www.seattlechildrens.org/
Elizabeth Bennett (206) 987-5718
Pager: (206) 987-2131

Linda Quan, MD
Pager: (206) 987-2131

Washington State Department of Health
Kathy Williams (360) 705-6738

Public Health Seattle King County:
Tony Gomez (206) 296-4205

Know the Water. Know your limits. Wear a life jacket.

Drowning Continues to be Significant cause of Injury Death for Teens and Young Adults

SEATTLE- Whether it's due to a feeling of invincibility or the lack of knowledge about the water hazards that exist in Washington state, teenagers and young adults have the highest drowning rates of any age group.

Overall, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for teens in the nation.¹ Open water, such as lakes and rivers, can quickly become deadly for a swimmer who gets tired or for a boater who capsizes. Consider these statistics:

In 2001, 30 people ranging in age 15 to 24 were reported by newspapers to have drowned in Washington waters.
Washington State Department of Health reports that 120 teens and young adults ages 15-24 died from drowning between 1996-2000.
10 took place in rivers, 11 in lakes or ponds and 5 in Puget Sound.
18 of these young people were male.
11 of them were swimming, 6 out of the 9 who were boating were not wearing life vests, and 6 were wading or walking by the water.
In 13 of the 16 swimming related deaths, the victim was swimming with at least one other person.
Only one out of seven boat related drownings reported use of a life vest.

These disturbing statistics prompted Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Washington State Department of Health's Office of Emergency Medical and Trauma Prevention, and Public Health Seattle King County to continue with efforts to educate teens and families about drowning risks and prevention. The campaign's theme is:

"Know the water. Know your limits. Wear a life jacket."

While much has been done to get the word out about drowning prevention for younger kids and toddlers, this program specifically targets drowning among teens and young adults.

"I rarely see teen drowning victims in the emergency room because most die before we can help them. There's been very little attention paid to this problem in the medical community because we don't see it, coroners do." said Linda Quan, MD, director of Emergency Services at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle. "Water is fast, cold and deceptive. We need to make sure that our teens understand this and are prepared. Peer pressure can push them into dangerous situations they don't have the strength or swimming ability to overcome. And while life jackets may not allow for grace or speed while swimming, they help ensure safety."

The Drowning Prevention Program for Teens and Young Adults is designed to help make teens aware of the many water hazards they face in this state, and that even good swimmers can get into trouble due to water conditions, water temperature, and simply overestimating their abilities. This program is intended to inform teens and young adults about dangerous water conditions, help them assess their abilities, and the importance of wearing a life jacket. Adolescents need tools and skills to make good decisions.

"The vast majority of these drowning deaths among teens are preventable," said Kathy Williams, MS, injury prevention specialist for the Department of Health. "There is an unfortunate, repeating scenario: A group of teens (usually boys) decides to swim out to a buoy, raft, island or rock in the lake, river or even Puget Sound. They swim a few minutes, and one gets tired. So he tells his friends he is turning back. His friends go on and he turns back, but he drowns because he's too tired or cold or cramps-up on the way back. He goes under quietly - no cries for help, no thrashing - this is not the movies."

The main points of the campaign are based on a three pronged approach:

Before heading out into a lake or river, think about how well you can swim and how tired you are. You can't count on a friend to be able to help or rescue you.
Check the water temperature and avoid swimming or boating in high-running or swiftly moving waters. Cold water is especially dangerous.
No matter how well you can swim, always wear a life jacket while aboard a small boat. When swimming, stay close to shore and wear a life jacket.

If you are interested in receiving an information packet about drowning prevention for teens and young adults, call the Children's Hospital Resource Line at (206) 987-2500, or toll free at 1 (866) 526-2500. SELECT OPTION 4.

Note: To schedule an interview with Dr. Quan, a near drowning victim or other program representatives, please contact Elizabeth Bennett.

¹Drowning is second only to automobile crashes as the leading cause of unintentional injury death among teens in the nation.