Post by williethewelder on May 2, 2007 8:55:00 GMT -4
WHILE AIR TEMPERATURES ARE ON THE RISE, WATER REMAINS DANGEROUSLY COLD
May 2 , 2007
It’s May, the flowers are blooming and short sleeves are making a comeback. But while air temperatures are starting to warm, water temperatures across the state remain hazardously cold. That fact, say officials with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), should be a major consideration for anyone recreating on or near the water.
"This time of year brings rising temperatures and more daylight. The first few nice days bring people outside in droves. Most are so happy for nicer weather that very few individuals are thinking about cold water," says Dan Martin, Boating Safety Education Manager for the PFBC. "But the dangers are real for boaters, waders and everyone else working or playing around the water.”
Boating is generally considered a "warm weather" pursuit in Pennsylvania and, in fact, the summer months are when the vast majority of boating activity occurs. But more than half of boating fatalities in Pennsylvania occur during "the cold water" months of October through May. During the 10-year period 1997-2006, 132 boaters died on Pennsylvania waters; 69 died at times other than the traditional summer months. Of those 69 victims, 21 died during May.
So if most boating takes place during the summer, why do so many fatalities occur at other times of the year? The fatal accidents themselves seem basic enough. Very few involve high-speed collisions. Indeed, most incidents are as simple as a fall overboard or the tipping of a small boat like a rowboat, kayak or canoe. The answer lies in water temperature.
Capsizing a small boat can turn deadly fast due to the dangerous effects from cold water. Boaters are not the only ones who should take heed. Trout season is in full swing and wading is a popular technique for getting to where the fish are. A simple stumble in a trout stream could turn serious quickly when cold water comes into the equation. Sudden immersion into cold water delivers a brutal shock to the body's system, triggering a spontaneous inhalation reflex. The involuntary gasping often results in the victim's lungs filling with water. Disoriented and without oxygen, victims can drown within seconds. The shock of sudden immersion in cold water can cause cardiac arrest.
If the victim is fortunate to survive the immediate reactions, hypothermia - the lowering of the body's core temperature - starts to take its toll. Cold water robs the body's heat a minimum of 25 times faster than air of the same temperature. Hypothermia begins with shivering and a loss of feeling in the extremities. Cold, blue skin, decreased mental skills, and slurred speech are common symptoms, all of which make it difficult - if not impossible - for a victim to perform self-rescue. Eventually, unconsciousness and/or death settles in. More often, if the person is still in the water, he will drown. Unfortunately, there have been four fatal boating accidents in Pennsylvania already this year; cold water has played a role in three of them.
The PFBC offers a few, common sense tips for dealing with cold water:
Wear a life jacket. It will save you when you can't save yourself.
Let others know your plans and if possible, don’t go alone. Self-rescue is extremely difficult in cold water. Your odds of survival go up if there are other members of your party nearby to lend aid.
Wear appropriate clothing. Layered clothing can help prevent hypothermia. Cotton clothing should be avoided because it doesn't provide insulation when wet.
If you find yourself falling into cold water, cover you mouth and nose with your hands. The shock of sudden immersion into cold water causes you to take a sharp breath in. Covering your airway lessens the likelihood of inhaling water.
If you are boating and find yourself in the water, attempt to get back into your boat. If it has capsized, climb on top of the boat.
If you are wading and fall in moving water, tuck your knees to your chest. This traps air in your waders, which helps keep you buoyant. Keep your feet up to avoid entanglement. Only attempt to stand when you are in shallow, slower moving water.
Once on dry land, do not remove your clothing. Even wet, it provides some insulation.
Get to warmth quickly. Recognize the signs of hypothermia and respond accordingly. Seek medical assistance
May 2 , 2007
It’s May, the flowers are blooming and short sleeves are making a comeback. But while air temperatures are starting to warm, water temperatures across the state remain hazardously cold. That fact, say officials with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), should be a major consideration for anyone recreating on or near the water.
"This time of year brings rising temperatures and more daylight. The first few nice days bring people outside in droves. Most are so happy for nicer weather that very few individuals are thinking about cold water," says Dan Martin, Boating Safety Education Manager for the PFBC. "But the dangers are real for boaters, waders and everyone else working or playing around the water.”
Boating is generally considered a "warm weather" pursuit in Pennsylvania and, in fact, the summer months are when the vast majority of boating activity occurs. But more than half of boating fatalities in Pennsylvania occur during "the cold water" months of October through May. During the 10-year period 1997-2006, 132 boaters died on Pennsylvania waters; 69 died at times other than the traditional summer months. Of those 69 victims, 21 died during May.
So if most boating takes place during the summer, why do so many fatalities occur at other times of the year? The fatal accidents themselves seem basic enough. Very few involve high-speed collisions. Indeed, most incidents are as simple as a fall overboard or the tipping of a small boat like a rowboat, kayak or canoe. The answer lies in water temperature.
Capsizing a small boat can turn deadly fast due to the dangerous effects from cold water. Boaters are not the only ones who should take heed. Trout season is in full swing and wading is a popular technique for getting to where the fish are. A simple stumble in a trout stream could turn serious quickly when cold water comes into the equation. Sudden immersion into cold water delivers a brutal shock to the body's system, triggering a spontaneous inhalation reflex. The involuntary gasping often results in the victim's lungs filling with water. Disoriented and without oxygen, victims can drown within seconds. The shock of sudden immersion in cold water can cause cardiac arrest.
If the victim is fortunate to survive the immediate reactions, hypothermia - the lowering of the body's core temperature - starts to take its toll. Cold water robs the body's heat a minimum of 25 times faster than air of the same temperature. Hypothermia begins with shivering and a loss of feeling in the extremities. Cold, blue skin, decreased mental skills, and slurred speech are common symptoms, all of which make it difficult - if not impossible - for a victim to perform self-rescue. Eventually, unconsciousness and/or death settles in. More often, if the person is still in the water, he will drown. Unfortunately, there have been four fatal boating accidents in Pennsylvania already this year; cold water has played a role in three of them.
The PFBC offers a few, common sense tips for dealing with cold water:
Wear a life jacket. It will save you when you can't save yourself.
Let others know your plans and if possible, don’t go alone. Self-rescue is extremely difficult in cold water. Your odds of survival go up if there are other members of your party nearby to lend aid.
Wear appropriate clothing. Layered clothing can help prevent hypothermia. Cotton clothing should be avoided because it doesn't provide insulation when wet.
If you find yourself falling into cold water, cover you mouth and nose with your hands. The shock of sudden immersion into cold water causes you to take a sharp breath in. Covering your airway lessens the likelihood of inhaling water.
If you are boating and find yourself in the water, attempt to get back into your boat. If it has capsized, climb on top of the boat.
If you are wading and fall in moving water, tuck your knees to your chest. This traps air in your waders, which helps keep you buoyant. Keep your feet up to avoid entanglement. Only attempt to stand when you are in shallow, slower moving water.
Once on dry land, do not remove your clothing. Even wet, it provides some insulation.
Get to warmth quickly. Recognize the signs of hypothermia and respond accordingly. Seek medical assistance