Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-01
PURPOSE IS TO REDUCE
! NUMBER Of DR0WN|NGS
American National Red Cross Issues
Circular on Life
Saving.
Standards of Efficiency Are Estab-
lished for Members and
Non-Members.

The annual death toll in the waters
of the United States. including suicides.
fs between six and seven thousand
persons says a circular issued by the
first aid department of the American
National Red Cross.
The information is of particular in
terest to the people of this city at this
time because of the interest that is be-
ing taken in the work Of Wilbert T.
Longfellow. organizer Of the hrst III
branch of the Red Cross.
1t is stated in the circular that most
of the drownings occur during the
summer boating and bathing season,
and that a large percentage of such
fatalities are preventable.
"By a little timely instruction.. it is
stated in the circular. people who can
swim may become life-savers. and. with
- training very efficient ones. The best
way to learn how t, carry a drowning
person in the water is 70 practice ham
ding a person who is not drowning.
. Drownings Are Reduced.
ITO further this work. and to de-
velop a knowledge of life saving, the
playtime of the thousands of people
whose business or pleasure takes them
on or near the water should be utilized
This is the desire of the American Ma
1ionaI Red Cross through its llfe-SaV-
ing service.
- Experiments in the prevention of water
yaccidents in New York and New Eng
land have proven conclusively that
there IS p marked reduction in the num-
Der of drownings as a result of instruc-
ton in life-savinS methods. and that
once the work has been started the bene-
fetal returns continue
For more than four years the orga-
niZeG volunteer life-Saving work IN New
York city was thus able to reduce the
total number of droWnings. notW1tn-
standing the enormous increase in popu-
lation. and of such hazardous water
sports as power boating, canoeing. etc,
on the already crowded waters OF that
CITY. When combined with instruction
in first aid to the injured. a knowledge
of life saving makes these water-loVers
splendid asset to community.
Objects of Organization.
It is set out in the circular that the
object of the organization is to develop
sentiment and facilities for safeguard
ing human life from drowning. The or
ganization hopes to prevent drowning
by teaching swimming and the handling
of boats, holding swimming and life
saving exhibitions. promoting swimming
and life-saving competitions and giving
instructions in various methods of per-
forming artificial respiration. Members
of the Red Cross are taught to rescue
persons in peril of drowning, resuScitate
persons apparently drowned and are in
structed in frst-aid work.
In accordance with the purposes of
the organization certain standards of
efficiency have been established. the
standard for non-members being as
follows:
Beginners must be able to swim fifty
3aet by any stroke.
Swimmers must be able to swim 100
yards. using two or more strokes; to
dive properly from a take Off: to swim
on back fifty feet, and to retrieve OBJ
isects at reasonable depths from the
Curface.
Life savers must be able to tow
person of their own weight ten yards
by each of the following methods:
Head carry, using two hands and
using two hands and swimming on
back; across chest carry, using one
arm and side stroke: using breast
stroke, hands of rescued on shoulders.
They must be able to show three meth
DDS of releasing themselves from peo-
pie in peril of drowning in the water
when grasped by wrist hold, front neck
hold and back neck hold.
They are required to demonstrate the
Schaeffer and Sylvester methods of
performing artificial respiration. How
ever, the Schaeffer method is preferred
Requirements for Membership.
Candidates for membership are required
to give written answer to five questions
on rescue and reSuscitation work. attain
ing an average of 10 per cent, explain
and demonstrate the Sylvester and Schaef-
fer methods of artificial respiration, tow
a person of their own weight for a dis
lance of fifty feet. l;eep a person of their
own weight (who is dressed in trousers
coat and shoes) afioat for one minute
and dive from the surface Of the water
to reasonable depth and bring to the
surface ten-pound sand bag.
On land they have to break the wrist,
front neck, back neck, both arms and
body aEi: over and under holds while in
water they have to break the front and
back neck holds
The Efe-saving outfit should include a
regulation boat (eighteen-foot dory) oars
gowlocks. hrst-aid equipment, additional
supplies for chests, ring buoys and lines
graphing and dragging apparatus
blankets and stretchers Each buoy
should hang on a frame with pegs with
rope so coiled that the buoy will be ready
for instant use. Frames should be
painted a uniform color and be stenciled
with the name of the CORPS
Washington Canoeists Urged
fo Qooono. Eunon4 C,.,:.