Last weekend the alarms went off because they died drowned four people in just 24 hours on the Catalan beaches, 13 since the summer season began. And June has already become the second worst month in drownings since 2015, with 57 deaths in all of Spain, which brings 169 deaths in aquatic spaces so far this year.
The toilets attribute the phenomenon to the aging of the population and a greater influx to aquatic spaces due to the climate crisis
A beginning of tragic summer which confirms that drownings are a rising phenomenon: throughout 2022 there were 394 deaths, 51% more than in 2021. And the doctors They warn that many more are treated in the emergency room: between 1,200 and 2,000 people a year who present different sequelae, from mild to very serious problems, due to lack of oxygen to the brain.
Therefore, the Spanish Society of Emergency and Emergency Medicine (SEMES), which represents more than 12,000 professionals in these services, has demanded that the authorities start up measures that serve to stop preventable deaths on beaches, swimming pools and aquatic spaces. As they warn, drowning is a “true public health problem & rdquor ;, given that it is among the top three causes of death Unintentional.
The causes
Last weekend, Civil Protection related the four deaths to the strong waves and possible imprudence. Beyond these specific circumstances, the high number of drownings, specialists point out, is linked to the fact that Spain has favorable conditions for aquatic leisure, both due to the weather and the 8,000 kilometers of coastline, the more than 3,000 beaches and the 172,000 riverbeds, in addition to the marshes enabled for bathing. But these circumstances have always been there and it is now when the public health problem is on the rise due to various factors, including the climate change and active population aging.
The first causes more hot days and, therefore, more bathers in the various aquatic spaces, which multiplies the possibility that these suffer incidents. And secondly, active aging makes older people enjoy aquatic leisure. However, a higher percentage than in other age groups suffer pathologies that can be triggered in the water -such as heart attacks or strokes- in the same way that they occur on land, according to Roberto Barcala, coordinator of the SEMES lifeguard group. In addition, some of these pathologies worsen with high temperatures, to which we must add that “older people have problems with balancewhich can harm them when it comes to overcoming adverse conditions & rdquor ;, according to the specialist.
Old
In fact, the data from the Royal Spanish Rescue and First Aid Federation for 2022 indicate that 113 of the fatalities had over 65 years. Yet they also die children and young, many times due to recklessness. The youngest, up to 4 years old, normally die in private pools and due to lack of supervision during after-meal: between 3 and 6 p.m. Deaths of young people often occur in natural settings. “It is common to see bathers with Red flag or parties in recreational boats with people under the influence of alcohol jumping into the sea & rdquor ;, denounces Barcala.
As drowning in most cases is “preventable & rdquor ;, SEMES requires moving from a reactive approach to one more preventive and stable in the time that is supported by two pillars: the education and training for safety in the aquatic environment. First of all, emergency physicians ask that in the schools Aquatic safety rules are taught, such as sea flags and what are the risk situations, as is done, for example, with talks on road safety. They also demand that institutes teach how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques (CPR), very useful both in the water and on land to help people who suffer cardiovascular events.
Measures
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They also require municipalities to ban toilet with red flag and that reckless attitudes are reported and punished. And in community pools they recommend that you hire lifeguards always, that access to young children without supervision is prevented and that there is a plan to review and maintain the facilities and drains. They also advise families to sign up minors to classes swimming from a young age and write with your children the rules of use of a domestic pool.
The problem around drowning, warns SEMES, is that there are several false beliefs, like a drowning person screams, throws his arms and asks for help. But it doesn’t usually happen that way, rather it is a subtle and silent incident. For this reason, the Medical Society has published a document with 12 frequently asked questions about this growing phenomenon and the scientific evidence that gives them an answer. “A new approach is required that explains the main causes of drowning from a scientific perspective and that users are informed,” says the coordinator of the entity’s lifeguard group.