New Britain herald., 1928-08-08
40 DROWN|NGS IN
j. 5. every DAY
Red Cross Figures Show Alarm.
Ing Numbers

Washington, Aug. s-An average
OF 40 persons drown each day in the |
United States. Each year the total
number runs between 5000 and 5000. !
These figures come from the life |
saving service of the American Red !
Cross, which is attempting to reduce
them.
H. F. Elbows. director of first aid
and life saving for the Red Cross,
rays that a careful study indicates
that so per cent of drowning facili-
ties are preventable.
In his organizations continuous
campaing of prevention. more than
16S,000 swimmers have already been
taught life saving and the campaign
has been especially Intensified this
year. The number of persons taking
to the water for recreation or relief
from the heat has steadily increased.
Fourteen training schools were es-
tablished in as many sections of the
country during June and nearly
thousand swimmers put in a ten-day
intensive course in life saving and
water safety.
Teach Life Saving
More than 300 of the most pro-
ficient students were appointed Red
Cross life saving examiners and are
authorized to teach swimmers and
enroll those passing the require
ments in the American Red Cross
life saving corps.
Upwards of 500 examiners and a
special corps of - travelling instruc-
tors are now teaching life saving
methods in every state and at the
900 more swimmers will have re-
.ceived this instruction.
Special demonstrations are being
given at hundreds of resorts and
swimming places during the summer
and when the season is over will be
continued in indoor pools. Nearly al
the large colleges and universities
with swimming facilities will be Wis
tied by one of the travelling expert.
this winter, who will appoint exam
liners to carry on the work through
the year.
Elbows lays stress on the import
ance of preventive work.
MANY drowning accidents occul
within comparatively short dis
lance of safety" he says. Few o
them happen in midstream or ia
out from shore.
This fact calls for more educa
tion-with emphasis on instruction
in swimming. Many experiences
rxn< tat No rof nS
around a bit and then want to lie
down. They find they can't toucl
bottom and then go into a panic.
Beginners Test
1--WE now recommend, in a begin
ner's test, while life guards ar
standing by those who have jus
learned to swim jump into the waite
where it's over there heads and the
swim to safety. Or that they swif
25 or so feet out and then bach
Thus they learn how to do 1t an
they later are upset in boat
canoe-many are upset while fish
ing-or fall of dock, they will b
able to keep their heads and saw
themselves.
Were going to put more EN-
phasis on eraly spring swimming
There is always an early crop c
drownings which is preventable. 1r
diyiduals should train gradually .
the beginning of their sWlmmln
season instead of undertaking to be
gin where they left off in the fal
Often they swim too far out on the
first time in, overtax themselves an
become exhausted. Then they're like
ly to be lost.
I'VE are encouraging each con
munity to provide a swimming plat
where It's people can swim under 81
pervision at certain hours. Thu
means, of course. with a life guar
1t hand.
There is too much haphazal
swimming and too much swimmlr
alone, especially by children Witho'
adults.
I'VE recommend that a MAORI
Of people in canoes be able to swir
That is. If there are three persol
in a. canoe two should be good swim
mers. Or II there are two, one shou
be able to swim we'll enough TO tai
care of his companion.
Most people don't know how
handle canoes and the renters of c
noes have no responsibility to S
that they do