Learn How to Swim and Make Sure Your Children Can Swim!!

I have been a swimming instructor for the American Red Cross for 14 years (wow....did I just write that) and a lifegarding instructor for 4 years. One of the things that I see each year as the summer season draws near is the low number of people who actually know how to swim. Doggie paddling might get you to the side of a swimming pool in a pinch, but are those really the skills that you want to find yourself with in the middle of a lake with a capsized boat? I didn't think so. I would urge EVERYONE to work on your swimming skills, take a swimming class, or take a water safety class! They can help save your life or the life of someone who you love!

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR LIFEJACKET WHEN YOU ARE IN OR NEAR THE WATER! DON'T JUST PACK IT, WEAR YOUR JACKET!

Here are some stats from the CDC's website concerning drowning. Take a look at these numbers!

Unintentional Drowning: Fact Sheet

How big is the problem?

• In 2007, there were 3,443 fatal unintentional drownings in the United States, averaging ten deaths per day. An additional 496 people died, from drowning and other causes, in boating-related incidents.^{1, 2}
• More than one in five fatal drowning victims are children 14 and younger.¹ For every child who dies from drowning, another four received emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.¹
• Nonfatal drownings can cause brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities including memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning (e.g., ., permanent vegetative state).

Who is most at risk?

• MALES: In 2007, males were 3.7 times more likely than females to die from unintentional drownings in the United States.¹
• CHILDREN: In 2007, of all children 1 to 4 years old who died from an unintentional injury, almost 30% died from drowning.¹ Although drowning rates have slowly declined,^1,3 fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years.⁴
• MINORITIES:
  • Between 2000 and 2007, the fatal unintentional drowning rate for African Americans across all ages was 1.2 times that of whites. For American Indians and Alaskan Natives, this rate was 1.7 times that of whites.¹
  • Rates of fatal drowning are notably higher among these populations in certain age groups. The fatal drowning rate of African American children ages 5 to 14 is 3.1 times that of white children in the same age range. For American Indian and Alaskan Native children, the fatal drowning rate is 2.2 times higher than for white children.¹
  • Factors such as the physical environment (e.g., access to swimming pools) and a combination of social and cultural issues (e.g., valuing swimming skills and choosing recreational water-related activities) may contribute to the racial differences in drowning rates. If minorities participate less in water-related activities than whites, their drowning rates (per exposure) may be higher than currently reported.⁵

What are the major risk factors?

• LACK OF BARRIERS AND SUPERVISION. Children under one year most often drown in bathtubs, buckets, or toilets.⁶ Among children ages 1 to 4 years, most drownings occur in residential swimming pools.⁶ 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.⁷ Barriers, such as pool fencing, can help prevent children from gaining access to the pool area without caregivers’ awareness.⁸
• AGE AND RECREATION IN NATURAL WATER SETTINGS (such as lakes, rivers, or the ocean). The percent of drownings in natural water settings increases with age. Most drownings among those over 15 years of age occur in natural water settings.⁹
• LACK OF LIFE JACKET USE IN RECREATIONAL BOATING. In 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard received reports for 4,789 boating incidents; 3,331 boaters were reported injured, and 709 died. Among those who drowned, 9 out of 10 were not wearing life jackets. Most boating fatalities that occurred during 2008 (72%) were caused by drowning with 90% of victims not wearing life jackets; the remainder were due to trauma, hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other causes.²
• ALCOHOL USE. Alcohol use is involved in up to half of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation and about one in five reported boating fatalities.^{10, 11} Alcohol influences balance, coordination, and judgment, and its effects are heightened by sun exposure and heat.¹²
• SEIZURE DISORDERS. For persons with seizure disorders, drowning is the most common cause of unintentional injury death, with the bathtub as the site of highest drowning risk.¹³

What has CDC research found?

A CDC study about self-reported swimming ability¹⁴ found that:

• Younger respondents reported greater swimming ability than older respondents.
• Self-reported ability increased with level of education.
• Among racial groups, African Americans reported the most limited swimming ability.
• Men of all ages, races, and educational levels consistently reported greater swimming ability than women.

Details about additional studies and their findings are highlighted in Water-Related Injuries: CDC Activities.

How can drowning be prevented?

To help prevent water-related injuries:^{1, 8, 9, 12, 13,15}

• SUPERVISION. Designate a responsible adult to watch young children while in the bath and all children swimming or playing in or around water. Supervisors of preschool children should provide “touch supervision”, be close enough to reach the child at all times.  Adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity (such as reading, playing cards, talking on the phone, or mowing the lawn) while supervising children.
• BUDDY SYSTEM. Always swim with a buddy. Select swimming sites that have lifeguards whenever possible.
• AVOID ALCOHOL. Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming, boating, or water skiing. Do not drink alcohol while supervising children.
• LEARN TO SWIM. Formal swimming lessons can protect young children from drowning. .  However, constant, careful supervision and barriers such as pool fencing are necessary even when children have completed swimming classes.
• LEARN CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR). In the time it might take for paramedics to arrive, your CPR skills could make a difference in someone’s life. CPR performed by bystanders has been shown to improve outcomes in drowning victims.
• DO NOT USE AIR-FILLED OR FOAM TOYS.  Do not use air-filled or foam toys, such as “water wings”, “noodles”, or inner-tubes, in place of life jackets (personal flotation devices). These toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe.

If you have a swimming pool at home:

• FOUR-SIDED FENCING. Install a four-sided pool fence that completely separates the house and play area of the yard from the pool area. The fence should be at least 4 feet high. Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward with latches that are out of reach of children. Also, consider additional barriers such as automatic door locks or alarms to prevent access or notify you if someone enters the pool area.
• CLEAR THE POOL AND DECK OF TOYS.  Remove floats, balls and other toys from the pool and surrounding area immediately after use. The presence of these toys may encourage children to enter the pool area unsupervised or lean over the pool and potentially fall in.

If you are in or around natural bodies of water:

• Know the local weather conditions and forecast before swimming or boating. Strong winds and thunderstorms with lightning strikes are dangerous.
• Use U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets when boating, regardless of distance to be traveled, size of boat, or swimming ability of boaters.
• Know the meaning of and obey warnings represented by colored beach flags.  Different beaches may use different colors but a commonly used series include: Double Red denoting that the beach is closed to the public; Single Red signaling a high hazard (e.g., strong surf or currents); Yellow signaling a medium hazard; Green denoting calm conditions although caution is still necessary; Purple flown with either Red or Yellow signaling the presence of dangerous marine life (not sharks). (ref: http://www.ilsf.org/index.php?q=rescue/iso-standards-beach-safety-information-flags)
• Watch for dangerous waves and signs of rip currents (e.g., water that is discolored and choppy, foamy, or filled with debris and moving in a channel away from shore). If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore; once free of the current, swim toward shore.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. (2009) [cited 2009 Nov 24]. Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Wide-ranging OnLine Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) [online]. (2010) Available from URL: http://wonder.cdc.gov/mortsql.html
3. Branche CM. What is happening with drowning rates in the United States? In: Fletemeyer JR and Freas SJ, editors. Drowning: New perspectives on intervention and prevention. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press LLC; 1999.
4. Borse NN, Gilchrist J, Dellinger AM, Rudd RA, Ballesteros MF, Sleet DA. CDC Childhood Injury Report: Patterns of Unintentional Injuries among 0-19 Year Olds in the United States, 2000-2006. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2008.
5. Branche CM, Dellinger AM, Sleet DA, Gilchrist J, Olson SJ. Unintentional injuries: the burden, risks and preventive strategies to address diversity. In: Livingston IL, editor. Praeger handbook of Black American health (2nd edition): Policies and issues behind disparities in health. Westport (CT): Praeger Publishers; 2004. p. 317-27.
6. Brenner RA, Trumble AC, Smith GS, Kessler EP, Overpeck MD. Where children drown, United States, 1995. Pediatrics 2001;108(1):85–9.
7. Present P. Child drowning study. A report on the epidemiology of drowning in residential pools to children under age five. Washington (DC): Consumer Product Safety Commission (US); 1987.
8. U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Safety barrier guidelines for home pools [online]. [cited 2007 Mar 21]. Available from URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pool.pdf 
9. Gilchrist J, Gotsch K, Ryan GW. Nonfatal and Fatal Drownings in Recreational Water Settings—United States, 2001 and 2002. MMWR 2004;53(21):447–52.
10. U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (US). Recreational Boating Statistics – 2008 [online]. 2009. [cited 2009 Nov 24]. Available from URL:http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/Publications/Boating_Statistics_2008.pdf 
11. Howland J, Mangione T, Hingson R, Smith G, Bell N. Alcohol as a risk factor for drowning and other aquatic injuries. In: Watson RR, editor. Alcohol and accidents. Drug and alcohol abuse reviews. Vol 7. Totowa (NJ): Humana Press, Inc.; 1995.
12. Howland J, Hingson R. Alcohol as a risk factor for drownings: A review of the literature (1950–1985). Accident Analysis and Prevention 1988;20(1):19–25.
13. Smith GS, Kraus JF. Alcohol and residential, recreational, and occupational injuries: A review of the epidemiologic evidence. Annual Rev of Public Health 1988;9:99–121.
14. Quan L, Bennett E, Branche C. Interventions to prevent drowning. In Doll L, Bonzo S, Mercy J, Sleet D (Eds). Handbook of injury and violence prevention. New York: Springer, 2007
15. Gilchrist J, Sacks JJ, Branche CM. Self-reported swimming ability in U.S. adults, 1994. Public Health Reports 2000;115(2–3):110–1.
16. Brenner RA, Taneja GS, Haynie DL, Trumble AC, Qian C, Klinger RM, Klevanoff MA. Association between swimming lessons and drowning in childhood: A case-control study. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 2009;163(3):203-10.

Why Am I A Volunteer?

I am often times asked why I volunteer so much of my spare time to be a volunteer. I think that question can best be answered by telling a little bit about my family and the influence that they have had on my life. As a small child I can remember going into my grandparent's basement and seeing a large board with big ribbons all over it. It belonged to my grandfather and the Boy Scout troop that he served as scoutmaster of for many years. It was made up of awards won and other things that they had accumulated over the years. This successful man, an IRS revenue and intelligence agent and after retirement from the IRS, a successful accountant made time to make a difference in the lives of young men, even though he had two daughters and no sons. My dad and one of my uncles were both in his scout troop, and when Papa Smith passed away a few years ago, who else would be the pall bearers than those young men, who were now all grown up, showing respect for someone that taught them so much.

While my grandfather was busy with his scout troop, my grandmother worked with the girl scouts, of which my mom and aunt were both involved. Both my grandmother and grandfather were involved with the Fayette County Senior Citizens, and my brother and I got our start volunteering by singing at functions and lunches for the senior citizens in the area while Mama Smith played the piano. Speaking of the piano, my grandmother also played the piano in church for YEARS, and she and my grandfather also served in many other positions in the church as well including Sunday school teachers, Sunday school superintendent, clerk, and other positions.

One of my favorite things that Papa Smith was involved in was the Mary Draper Ingles Trail Club. They helped clear many of the trails that people use all of the time in what is now the New River Gorge National River. I can remember hiking with Papa and taking part in several events where people dressed in period clothing to tell about Mary Draper Ingles escape from Indian captivity and long trip home along the New River Gorge.

In addition to all of this, Papa also volunteered with a local crisis hotline and the Civitans. He was also a WW II veteran.

My parents also followed in this legacy of volunteering. They have held numerous positions in church including music director, Sunday School superintendent, secretary, and Sunday School teachers. They were also very involved with Oak Hill High School Band Boosters and Mtn View Christian School concession stands when my brother and I were in school. Their other volunteer efforts have included helping with the Oak Leaf Festival pageants, the Oak Hill Business and Professionals Association, and anything that my brother and I have "volunteered them for" in the past few years.

So you ask why I volunteer? It is because that is how I was raised, and that is what I know helps people build better futures for themselves and aid my community in growth. "If not you, then who?" If you aren't willing to take a step to volunteer and help others, then who will? It is our responsibility to help other people and do our part to make the world a better place by setting an example of volunteerism and helping others to reach their full potential! That is why I volunteer! Now, I challenge you to take a few minutes of your time to do the same! It doesn't take long, and it will leave you feeling so fulfilled just because you helped someone else!

We Remember the 29 Lives Lost in the UBB Mine Disaster

"As the church bells rang 29 times- we knew it was the final end of the line. Now 29 miners are at Heavens gate, with dirty faces asking "Are we too late?" God said with a halfway grin " No my sons, come on in." They placed their mining lights on Heavens floor, God said "Job well done..leave your boots at the door, they cannot take advantage of you anymore!!""

One year ago West Virginia lost 29 our of bravest souls. The people who go underground every day to mine the coal that "Keeps the Lights On" all over our great country and the world. These 29 men came from all walks of life, but diverged into this profession probably because for many it is the best means to make a living in Southern West Virginia. Although I did not know any of the miners well, the loss of them all touched me deeply and it still brings me to tears to think of UBB, Sago, Aracoma and others. I can still remember so much about the day the UBB accident occured. It was the day after Easter and my husband's birthday. He had just returned from a trip to Indianapolis where he witnessed West Virginia University lose to Duke in the the Final Four. My father had gotten sick that afternoon so my mother and I took him to the hospital, and they were on stand-by waiting for victims of the accident. On a trip to my car to go get something to drink, I received a Facebook message to pray for the Lynch family because someone in their family was one of the missing miners. Then more messages started coming from various friends about others who were trapped, and stories started coming about those who got out of the mine "just in time" and others who were almost ready to go in. It was a very long night and a very long week for everyone praying that our courageous men would be found alive. Sadly, the outcome was not as we prayed and hoped. All twenty-nine lives were lost.

All West Virginians know that mining accidents happen, and it is a chance that miners take every day when they go to work. There are very few native West Virginians whose families have not lost someone in the mines at some point. In fact, my family lost my grandpa Atha's brother, Donald, in 1946 in a slate fall. He had only returned from serving in the Army during the war weeks before his death in the mines. My husband's family lost his great grandfather also to a slate fall in 1925. Although mining technology and practices are better now than they were in those days, there is still a risk taken by these brave souls every day as they enter the dark underground world of the coal mines.

We remember the UBB miners that were lost each day. Several longtime family friends, church friends, and schoolmates lost fathers, brothers, sons, uncles, grandfathers, or grandsons in that dark mine. As we remember them on April 5, 2011, the one year anniversary of the disaster, I will once again think of one of the lost in particular - Roosevelt "Coach" Lynch. Coach Lynch, as everyone in Oak Hill knew him, was a very well known and respected man. He was one of the football coaches that my husband says he greatly admired as a young athlete. I knew who he was from seeing him on the sidelines at high school games, always with a big smile on his face. I can only remember ever speaking to him once, a few years after high school. I told him that I had graduated with his son, and I can remember him bragging on his children and how proud he was of them. Just as I'm sure he is now while he looks down on them from above.

Sleep sweetly our brave 29. You will never be forgotten!

UBB Tribute - "Coal Miners Note"

There is a movement in West Virginia to wear black on 4/5/11 in memory of those who were lost. I will be wearing my black to remember Coach Lynch and the others who were lost. Will you?

Proud of One of My Past Miss Teen Oak Leaf Festival Queens

I received the email below from one of my former Miss Teen Oak Leaf Festival title holders this morning. I am so proud of Brit and her efforts to bring attention to those who struggle with MS and to VOLUNTEER to make a difference as Miss Kanawha Valley's Outstanding Teen! I joined her MS Walk team this morning, and I hope you will do the same or at least consider helping her reach her goal of raising $5,000 and 100 walkers for the cause!

Hey everyone!
This is Brittany Glover, and you may not recognize this email, but don't put it in the junk pile just yet! I'm working on a project for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and I need YOUR help! I'm coordinating the walk in White Sulphur Springs on August 21 at the Greenbrier Resort. I'm aiming to get 100 group members and raise a minimum of 5,000 dollars, sounds like a lot but with everyone's help we can get there in no time! For those of you who aren't familiar with the disease, MS is a debilitating disease that affects how nerve impulses are transmitted through the body; it can cause a wide range of symptoms and currently has no cure. The MS Society works to find a cure and to help those affected and their family members. To learn more about MS go to: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/index.aspx. Many overlook this disease, but now is the time to get involved. It would mean so much to me to reach my goal and to make a difference. Even if you can't attend the walk you can join my team and help fund raise! To do so go to https://secure3.convio.net/nmss/site/TRR/Walk/VABWalkEvents?pg=tfind&fr_id=16791 and click "search for a team" then type in "Making Strides" and join! Easy as that! Email me at this address if you have any questions! Also if you are a member of facebook you can go like "Making Strides" page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Making-Strides/202818013080325! Forward this on to your family and friends! Thank you in advance for helping me reach my goal!

Sincerely,
Brittany Glover
Making Strides Team Captain

Basketball for a Great Cause

This evening, my non-basketball playing self had a fantastic time playing basketball for Team Habitat for Humanity to raise money for the Women Build Habitat for Humanity project in Greenbrier County, WV. It was a great fundraiser, and we were able to interact with the family who will be living in the home that is now being built....a single mom with 4 small children. Right now they are living in a homeless shelter, all in one room with 2 beds, one closet, and a dresser. In just over a month, they will have a home of their own!!! Yay! The Habitat for Humanity group also told another family tonight that they will have a home in about a year. It really made me think about how fortunate I am. Thank you, Jesus for taking care of me and my family!

The game itself went pretty well. I ACTUALLY SCORED 4 POINTS!!! I was also excited to play with WV Secretary of State (and candidate for governor) Natalie Tennant, former NBA player and Lewisburg native Bimbo Coles (I attempted to guard him at one point....lol....wasn't happening!), and several other well known local folks. We were coached by Jim Justice, owner of the Greenbrier Resort. The game was so much fun with tons of games for kids in between quarters, dancing (mid game....it was a hoot!), and best of all, TEAM HABITAT WON!!!!! we did have a little help, but we still won! :) Thanks for inviting me to participate Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity!!!

Team Habitat and the WV Blazers with Women Build Volunteers