The Impact of Safety around Water - Christian Carrasco

 

The Impact of Safety around Water 

My name is Christian Carrasco Herrera and I have been a Swim Instructor/Lifeguard for about 6 years now. I am currently a Los Angeles County Pool Manager at San Fernando Regional Pool and I facilitate programs such as Swim Lessons, Novice Teams, Aqua Exercise and Lap Swim. The importance of being safe around water is crucial for individuals in the community to understand because drowning is the leading cause of death in children. 

What is drowning exactly? Drowning is the process of experience respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion of liquid. Drowning is not always fatal, with preventative lifeguards and swim lesson methods may greatly minimize the cause of drowning. 

The issue of not being safe around water leads to children being at the highest risk of drowning, adults are also prone to drowning without understanding the rules of a pool or unawareness of their swim abilities. This effects all communities as the unawareness of knowing how to swim is prevalent in communities where pools aren't accessible and or have improper prevention efforts to block individuals from open water. Individuals can learn to take water safety swim lessons by researching efforts online or going to the local pool to learn more about how to prevent drowning. 

Based on research by Red Cross Learning center, 'Water competency is a way of improving water safety for yourself and those around you through avoiding common dangers, developing fundamental water safety skills to make you safer in and around the water, and knowing how to prevent and respond to drowning emergencies.' (Red Cross 1)

How does this relate to civic engagement?

~ According to ThoughtCo. written by Robert Longley, Civic engagement means participating in activities intended to improve the quality of life in one's community by addressing issues of public concern, such as homelessness, pollution, or food insecurity, and developing the knowledge and skills needed to address those issues. Civic engagement can involve a wide range of political and non-political activities including voting, volunteering, and participating in group activities like community gardens and food banks. In the second article researched, ‘Civic engagement is defined as a form of stakeholder engagement that focuses on participation in either political activities, community activities or both.’ (Hendricks 1)

In my own terms of civic engagement, I believe that it is a form of an incentive to influence a change in one’s community. These incentives allow for one's voice to be heard and can allow for change to occur by bringing everyone together. I imagine it as people in a small bubble being aware of information, empowerment of participation in big world problems and can spread diversity amongst communities. An example of civic engagement can be giving free swim lessons to the community because it will engage in water safety. With free swim lessons, infants, children and adults will have the opportunity to learn how to swim and be safe in and out of water. 

Whilst completing this project, preventative measures to prevent individuals of becoming a drowning statistic has always been my top priority. I have developed a Sixth Sense in determining the signs of drowning and reading the body languages of individuals who feel uncomfortable/unsafe around water. I ensure that each individual is aware of the pool rules and are able to comply with the safety of why we implement these rules. There are many different methods to demonstrate these rules, such as showing videos of Whale Tales, a imaginary whale who ventures in water conditions to show kids of all ages why it's important to swim with a buddy, not swimming without a lifeguard supervising and wearing a life jacket. This matter is very important to me because I want to ensure that everyone demonstrates safe efforts in and around open water. Everyone who enters our facility is ensured to exit our facility feeling safe and have had the opportunity to have fun and go on with their day. 

In my community, I had the great opportunity to speak with those in my organization and brought up the impact of safety around water. I asked them why it was important to know safety around water and explain how not knowing safety measures can affect local communities.

Members of our community:

                    'Aquatics Maintenance Technician, Brandon Oliva'                             

'Los Angeles was host to the Olympics back in 1984 and it left us with a wonderful program name LA84. This program has supported, many public agencies in the Los Angeles area with Aquatics. This program has given many kids the opportunity to learn about water safety. This also goes a long way to educating the parents on how to be safe around water. Water safety is something everyone should be educated especially if we live near pools and bodies of water. Little bit of knowledge could go a long way and even save your life. 

Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of death in children, that's right behind car accidents. With some racial groups being on the top such as Black and American Indian. Black people are 1.5 times higher to drown then white. When we break it down even more between ages we see an increase of drownings in the black community. This information is alarming due to the fact that here in the LA area there's limited public pools in these communities where it's dominated by the Black community. Therefore, allowing these programs to be in offer at these locations would significantly help out these communities. 

Mr. Carrasco is one of the instructors in this program allowing it to continue to grow in our communities. Our numbers did decrease during the pandemic and along with our lifeguard shortage. However, after much battle from this will we be putting more programs this summer of 2024 to our communities.' (Brandon Oliva)

'Senior Pool Lifeguard, Naomi Melgoza'

'Hello my name is Naomi Melgoza and I'm a LA County Senior Pool Lifeguard at San Fernando Regional Pool. 

The importance of water safety should be emphasized in all communities because it’s fundamental to public health, and social development.  It’s important for communities to be aware of public health and safety because the lack of water safety knowledge and enforcement can lead to drownings, and injuries especially with the younger ones. By also prioritizing water safety, it supports broader social progress by having access to recreational activities and knowledge to public health in all communities. 

Water safety affects communities who have less income because they don’t have the same opportunities to learn about water safety and the rules that come to it like having the activities. In my pool, we offer many programs to small children and adults to get the community around me to get the opportunity to learn water safety for free of charge. We offer many swim lessons to all ages and a program called lifeguard ready training to get lifeguard trainings for free.  Prioritizing water safety measures and access to aquatic resources is crucial for supporting thriving and resilient communities.' (Naomi Melgoza)

'Premier Swim Academy Training Coordinator, Gabriella Ruiz'

'My name is Gabriella Ruiz and I’m the training coordinator/ swim instructor for a swim school in Rancho Cucamonga, Premier Swim Academy. 

I think water safety is something that is crucially important to a community. Learn to swim programs give everyone in the community an opportunity to learn the life saving skill of self rescue in aquatic environments. This can be achieved through many different techniques but regardless of the programs teachings children and adults having access to this knowledge is crucial to create a safe environment.

I think water safety affects communities in multiple ways. When community aquatic facilities are equipped with responsible, trained, diligent lifeguards and the safety equipment necessary to handle any sort of emergency until emergency services arrive, we are prioritizing community safety. When community safety is prioritized by staff and facilities, we can allow the community a fun and safe  environment to connect with each other and explore all the possibilities that aquatics has to offer.' (Gabriella Ruiz)

Sign up for Swim Lessons, Lap Swim and Water Exercise at your nearest county facility on reservations.lacounty.gov!

Apply to become a Pool Lifeguard;

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty/jobs/4380811/pool-lifeguard-candidate-temporary

Please feel free to contact me for further inquiries, CCarrascoHerrera@parks.lacounty.gov

References:

Longley, Robert. “What Is Civic Engagement? Definition and Examples.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 4 Oct. 2022, www.thoughtco.com/what-is-civic-engagement-definition-and-examples-5072704Links to an external site..

Hendricks, Allison. “What Is Civic Engagement? Definitions, Examples, How TOS, and More.” Simply Stakeholders, Allison Hendricks, 14 Oct. 2022, simplystakeholders.com/civic-engagement-definition/#heading-3.

“Water Safety.” American Red Cross, www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety.html. Accessed 21 Apr. 2024. 

“Drowning Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Jan. 2024, www.cdc.gov/drowning/facts/.