HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — In the wake of a doubly-tragic situation, health experts are reminding the community what to do in the case of a possible drowning. Two members of the same family died over the weekend in an incident at a Hillsboro-area pond. Authorities say a young man trying to save a dog began struggling in the water. His uncle went in to save him, and actually got the teen back to land. But the man began to struggle in the water as well, and the teen went back in.
Both lost their lives, an unfortunate reminder that tragedy can strike in the blink of an eye. With more people swimming in the summer months, we must remain aware of our surroundings and assess our own swimming skills, according to Red Cross spokesperson Annette Roland.
"In the U.S. there are ten [fatal] drownings per day," she said. "There's a lot of myths out there that people will be splashing around or flailing around or screaming 'help' when they're drowning, but that's not necessarily true."
While many will want peace and quiet while lounging poolside or at the beach, silence can actually be an indicator of a more serious situation.
"It can happen in a split second. And even when you're trained to notice those signs, it happens. People really have to pay attention and understand that sometimes it may be silence," Rowland said.
What should you do if you believe someone is drowning?
"You have to assess the situation around you," responded Rowland. "If it's safe to go in after them, do it. If it's not, look for something that you can throw for them."
Although gut instinct may have you try to jump into the water after a possible drowning victim, as in Sunday's situation, it could make for an even deadlier problem.
For her part, although almost everyone in her family knows how to swim, Rowland's mother does not. Rowland mentions how being prepared for any situation could prove life-saving:
"It would be more dangerous for her to try to jump in after my children, if she can't swim herself. That's a situation where maybe a pole or maybe having that that lifesaver ring around would really help."
Rowland suggests keeping this piece of advice in mind when talking about larger bodies like oceans - the water is more powerful than you are, even if you're the best swimmer out there.
"When you've got a riptide, you know, it's going to be it's going to be a more dangerous situation for someone else to jump in, especially someone who's untrained. So you want to take those steps to make sure that you have those those tools around, like the lifesaver rings, poles and anything else."
What you wear to the water could play a factor in your survival should the worst happen. Rather than blue or white/lighter colored bathing suits, opt for brighter, more noticeable colors such as neon hues, so that others can see you above as well as under the surface.