Did you know that drowning is the third leading cause of
unintentional deaths with an estimated 360,000
annual drownings worldwide It’s a major public health problem we face,
and there are plenty of people, groups, companies and organizations doing
helping to prevent drowning, including P2P Rescue! Here’s a few things you
should know about drowning risk in our world.
Risk Factors
Age: The three age categories that
see the most drownings are 0-5, 20-25, and 60 and older. Drowning is the
leading cause of death for toddlers and infants due to the inability to swim,
poor adult supervision, and the lack of barriers separating young children from
bodies of water. Inadequate supervision is another leading reason why older
children are at risk for drowning, as parents sometimes overestimate how well
their children obey safety rules when unsupervised. Ages 20-25 see an increase
in risk because of participation in water sports and the tendency to be more
reckless. For those older than 60, the risk is higher due to difficulty
managing themselves in emergency water situations and potential health problems
that can lead to heart attacks or low blood pressure while in the water.
Gender: Males are at a higher risk
of drowning and are more likely to be hospitalized than females for non-fatal
drowning. Studies suggest this is due to an increased exposure to water and
generally riskier behavior, including swimming solo and drinking alcohol before
swimming or operating a boat alone. Males are also more apt to participate in
water sports and live near bodies of water for their careers.
Access to water: There’s always a
higher risk when an individual’s occupation is around water, such as working in
commercial fishing or using boats. Drowning risk also increases for those who
live near open water sources, particularly children in such situations. There’s
also a higher risk during warmer months when people travel to bodies of water
for vacation and recreation.
Flooding disasters: 75% of drowning
deaths occur from natural flooding situations like heavy rain, hurricanes, and
tsunamis. This is especially true for people who live in areas that are prone
to flooding and have limited options to evacuate.
Drowning Prevention
Although drowning takes a toll around the world, hundreds of thousands of lives are saved every year thanks to trained lifeguards and responders. At P2P Rescue, our goal is to help aid those lifesavers with our unique rescue board designs. From ocean to swift water to flooded conditions, each of our rescue boards are designed to withstand harsh environments and get responders to victims quickly. Take a look at all the boards we offer and see the difference P2P Rescue is making!
