Father saves son's life with U/W mouth to mouth

[Damselfish]

would think turning off the spa jets and cutting the suction would have been a better move?

 

[mike_s]

this story seems like it was pulled from a poorly written "Bay Watch" script.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

would think turning off the spa jets and cutting the suction would have been a better move?

Texas has multiple layers of protection in place to help prevent accidents like this. One includes an emergency shut off switch within sight of the spa.

If something like this doesn't exist, the pumps are most commonly behind a locked door or gate. Access is extremely difficult.

TwoBit

 

[chip104]

Pretty cool. Back in the day me an a couple of buddies were able to keep someone under for 30 mins just giving her breaths.

@ Rick: Water in the lungs has been a long discussed debate in lifeguarding for a while. Dr. Heimlich has - for a long time - been promoting the use of abdominal thrust prior to/and during resucitation to clear the water out of the lungs. Medical panels, which includes the AHA, do not support Dr. Heimlich for a number of reasons - one is that the lungs can still be perfused through liquid (ex. babies are able to breath while in the womb). In fresh water, the water in the aveoli is actually rapidly absorbed into the circulation (not true for salt water). An analogy that has always been taught to me is that a drowning victim being given resucitation will be like a pulmonary edema patient breathing.


If you're interested, here are some nice reads:
http://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/library/Heimlich_Article_Mills-Senn_033000.pdf
http://www.lifesaving.com/issues/articles/23heimlich_controversy.html

I had another article that went into the entire saga but unfotuantely I can't find it.

 

[Damselfish]

Texas has multiple layers of protection in place to help prevent accidents like this. One includes an emergency shut off switch within sight of the spa.

I don't think I've ever seen a spa in a public place anywhere that doesn't have a easy way to shut it off. Which is one of the reasons why I personally have trouble believing the story. Or at least amazed someone wouldn't have the presense of mind to turn it off...

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I don't think I've ever seen a spa in a public place anywhere that doesn't have a easy way to shut it off. Which is one of the reasons why I personally have trouble believing the story. Or at least amazed someone wouldn't have the presense of mind to turn it off...

From a quick skim of Florida state pool code, kill switches in spas are optional.

Before they were required in Texas (2004) they didn't exist.

 

[ItsBruce]

Sorry, I've been away diving for the weekend. But, to respond to a comment on my prior post, I have trouble believing the suction was sufficient to pull a 14 year old boy under or keep him under. (Though it is possible he put an arm or leg into the drain and got that stuck.) II also have trouble believing that one can provide useful air mouth-to-mouth while under water. It is tough to do on a floating victim. Now imagine making a seal under water. And, imagine the increase of pressure even at one or two feet. It may work in the movies, but I don't see it in real life.

 

[Jim Ernst]

Pretty cool. Back in the day me an a couple of buddies were able to keep someone under for 30 mins just giving her breaths.

@ Rick: Water in the lungs has been a long discussed debate in lifeguarding for a while. Dr. Heimlich has - for a long time - been promoting the use of abdominal thrust prior to/and during resucitation to clear the water out of the lungs. Medical panels, which includes the AHA, do not support Dr. Heimlich for a number of reasons - one is that the lungs can still be perfused through liquid (ex. babies are able to breath while in the womb). In fresh water, the water in the aveoli is actually rapidly absorbed into the circulation (not true for salt water). An analogy that has always been taught to me is that a drowning victim being given resucitation will be like a pulmonary edema patient breathing.


If you're interested, here are some nice reads:
http://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/library/Heimlich_Article_Mills-Senn_033000.pdf
http://www.lifesaving.com/issues/articles/23heimlich_controversy.html

I had another article that went into the entire saga but unfotuantely I can't find it.

chip, interesting post as i am also a bit familiar with this practice!!! i still also with some otheres question the hot tub having enough sucktion to hold a 14 yr old to the bottom????? hmmm...... interesting!

 

[pakman]

Pretty cool. Back in the day me an a couple of buddies were able to keep someone under for 30 mins just giving her breaths.
quote]

geez, kind of severe way to make a girl kiss you... I know you get randy when you're a teenager but...

 

[pakman]

chip, interesting post as i am also a bit familiar with this practice!!! i still also with some otheres question the hot tub having enough sucktion to hold a 14 yr old to the bottom????? hmmm...... interesting!

well you know there was that story of a guy getting uh.. a certain part of his anatomy... stuck in a pool suction drain... :shakehead or was that just another urban myth...