Pool breathhold training fatality

[GiraffeMarineSalvage]

There may only be a precious few moments between very safe breathhold training with a focused dive buddy and a fatality:

My deepest condolences to the family and friends experiencing this loss:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-pool-drowning-lawsuit-1.6696400

I am purely sharing this news to remind others how critical it is to only train with a vigilant dive buddy and the potential dangers of complacency and/or miscommunication in seemingly safe environments. (also moderators, feel free to move my post to the legal liability subsection if you consider that a more appropriate sub forum)

 

[boulderjohn]

Years ago I was with my wife and young grandchild in the kiddie pool area, and we were trying to get her over her fear of putting her face in the water. At one point I put my face in the water and held my breath for about 2 minutes, with the grandchild on one side and my wife on the other. When I put my head up, I learned that the lifeguard had come over to check on me, and my wife had assured him I was OK. I did that a few more times, and my wife told me the lifeguard watched very carefully each time, even though she was right next to me in water about 2 feet deep at most.

I would think people practicing serious breath hold diving would be a nightmare for a lifeguard. I think you need more than a vigilant buddy. You need to let the lifeguard staff know what you are doing and have them make whatever safety arrangements they think are necessary. When you are holding your breath for such a long time, you are doing exactly what lifeguards are supposed to be alert for, and doing it enough that they learn to ignore you is dangerous.

 

[Angelo Farina]

In most public pools, practicing breath-holding for significant duration, either steady or swimming, is explicitely forbidden.
It can be practiced only outside public access hours, when the pool is rented by a diving club or a sport society, which must provide proper continuous surveillance by a qualified rescuer.
I passed out twice, when young, while practicing underwater frog swimming for long distance.
In both cases I was rescued and resuscitated by my coach.
After the second syncope I gave up with free diving entirely and focused on other water sports (water polo, water ski, scuba diving, finned swimming, etc.)

 

[Jcp2]

In most public pools, practicing breath-holding for significant duration, either steady or swimming, is explicitely forbidden.
It can be practiced only outside public access hours, when the pool is rented by a diving club or a sport society, which must provide proper continuous surveillance by a qualified rescuer.
I passed out twice, when young, while practicing underwater frog swimming for long distance.
In both cases I was rescued and resuscitated by my coach.
After the second syncope I gave up with free diving entirely and focused on other water sports (water polo, water ski, scuba diving, finned swimming, etc.)

This may be the case where you live but is not general practice where I live.

It also brings up the real possibility of that town losing a public pool, as what person would want to be a lifeguard if they can be charged for a crime because of the action of an uninformed patron.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

The family is suing the place?? The guy took a risk and paid for it….Obviously we don’t have all the details, was he the only one in the pool? Was the lifeguard suppose to ignore everyone else to watch his guy hold his breath?

 

[Jcp2]

The family is suing the place?? The guy took a risk and paid for it….Obviously we don’t have all the details, was he the only one in the pool? Was the lifeguard suppose to ignore everyone else to watch his guy hold his breath?

It’s not just the civil suit.

“The drowning also led to a criminal case against a man who was working as a lifeguard at the time. In October, RCMP charged a 25-year-old man with criminal negligence causing death.”

 

[Angelo Farina]

This may be the case where you live but is not general practice where I live.

I have seen an advice forbidding running, diving and breath-holding in swimming pools all around the world, including everywhere in Europe, in Canada, US, South Korea, India and Australia.
It must be said that this was most in hotels or in universities.
Perhaps in municipal facilities the regulations are more lax...

 

[Jcp2]

There may be guidance from an association, as it seems is the case in the article above, but they are not enforceable government regulations. Completely voluntary.

 

[Angelo Farina]

There may be guidance from an association, as it seems is the case in the article above, but they are not enforceable government regulations. Completely voluntary.

Everything is enforceable. My pool, my rules. Who does not comply is expelled. Simple...

 

[Jcp2]

But it’s not mandatory for the pool to have such as policy in the first place.

“
Jonathan Kusyanto, acting executive director of the Alberta and Northwest Territories branch of the Lifesaving Society, said the society provides guidelines but doesn't have any legislative power.

"The standards are ultimately there to help support and educate pool owners and operators on what they can do to safely operate their facility," said Kusyanto. "But they're ultimately recommendations."”