Non Yak Near Drowning Story from the LBC

http://news.yahoo.com/girl-put-life-line-save-wash-state-boy-070434933.html

First, awesome that the kid is alive. 

Second, why does it take 15 mins to rescue him?  The distress period was sufficiently long for somebody on the SAR squad to get a call out, leave work, suit up, deploy PWC, and jump in after the victim.  Major headscratcher!  Unknown where in the LBC this near-drowning occurred.  Def does not look like Belmont from the waves in the background of the pic.  Anyway, couldn't a surf-competent adult charged with his care go in after him?  WTH?! 

I think at least one morale of the tale is you better be self-sufficient in the surf zone.  Best not to have to rely upon anyone for rescue.  And learn how to swim in $hitty conditions, too.

I'm shaking my head at part of that story.  Don't want to offend anyone, but reading of a group huddled in prayer WHILE the kid was drowning was disappointing.  Let's pray when we don't have a direct and tangible option of trying to assist.

The "group" huddled in prayer were kids his age actually sobbing and praying.  They were doing what they could or should be doing while the adults and trained rescue people do their job.  Everyone can't be out trying to be the hero.  If the kids tried to save him they may have ended up in the same situation.

(a little different conditions but...)  How many times have you read about someone jumping into the river to save their dog, friend, or child and they end up drowning while the person or animal  they were trying to save makes it.

the miracle was that girl who went after him and the people who performed CPR. They both bought him the time he needed to keep his life.

The girl is the hero in my eyes.....She kept him afloat which bought more time for the rescuers... Ive read time and time again how people have jumped in to save someone and became the vistim at the end... It happens here in Monterey all the time! I wouldnt in A second think about jumping in I would do it and have done it... Thank god there both alive!

Lots of good people to thank for their efforts, and I do hope for a good recovery for that young man.

Still, it's frustrating to think that the most capable and committed rescuer in the early minutes was a twelve year old girl.

I should suspend judgement, because I wasn't there, but I would have expected at least one adult present could have had the skills to try.

Boogie board was available, and surf conditions were not so treacherous that anyone thought to keep kids out of the water, so just how daunting a task was it?

I like to believe I live in a world where people can do shit. Is it getting worse?

I think at least one morale of the tale is you better be self-sufficient in the surf zone.  Best not to have to rely upon anyone for rescue.  And learn how to swim in $hitty conditions, too.

I think that is a valid statement for life in general.  Call 911 and even the best response time of 3 minutes, means you are on your own for three minutes.  Best case, you thought about what to do ahead of time. 

Lots of good people to thank for their efforts, and I do hope for a good recovery for that young man.

Still, it's frustrating to think that the most capable and committed rescuer in the early minutes was a twelve year old girl.

I should suspend judgement, because I wasn't there, but I would have expected at least one adult present could have had the skills to try.

Boogie board was available, and surf conditions were not so treacherous that anyone thought to keep kids out of the water, so just how daunting a task was it?

I like to believe I live in a world where people can do shit. Is it getting worse?

yes it is getting worse and the sense of community is lost on alot of people nowadays. For example, you can save someones life and they may try to sue you if the outcome of the rescue leaves them feeling like you owe them because..who knows.. whatever those kind of people think...

I'm far from perfect, but like FM1 if I see someone who needs help and I can, I'm helping. I feel connected to people I don't know personally because we are all here together. When I was in 4th grade my Mom's friend was driving me home from my Nana's and a Jeep had flipped over and was on it's roof on SB 880 near Union City. The driver's window was down and a person's hand was flailing trying to orient itself to get the door handle and get the door open. My first thought was to pull over and help them!!! When I said oh my god we have to get them out Beth Ann said someone else would help them and kept on driving!!!! I was sick all day and have worried about that person every time I recall this memory, it haunts me that we kept driving. I know she was trying to protect me but the fact is I was disturbed none the less.

WOW. Hero's rush in where angels fear to tread. The girl has a heart that puts others first. I am very glad the boy was calm and OK when she arrived to him as it could have been a double tragedy very easily. Paniced drowning people climb the ladder. the ladder being you or anything you have that will get them above water. That's how and why rescuers drown all the time. If you find you need to go in (last resort) after someone be cautious, they will flip your yak , boogie board, etc, and take it away from you. I had a pro linebacker ignore the float I was pushing to him and climb me. Was not a good day . I'm not saying don't try to help someone, just be carfull if you have to, and get training if you can.   I've been reading about this and I did not get the feeling there were not that many adults on the beach so they had to gather and get counts on kids. I'm just glad it didn't turn out so much worse.
S

I am very glad the boy was calm and OK when she arrived to him as it could have been a double tragedy very easily. Paniced drowning people climb the ladder. the ladder being you or anything you have that will get them above water. That's how and why rescuers drown all the time.

I have heard that from old time islanders, scuba instructors and others.

Anyway, couldn't a surf-competent adult charged with his care go in after him?  WTH?! 

I think the real question is why weren't any surf-competent adults in the group in the first place? But it seems fairly common: Take the kids to the beach & let them play in the surf even though the closest any of us adults has gotten to salt water since Spring Break 1987 is a warm gargle after a tooth extraction.

I am very glad the boy was calm and OK when she arrived to him as it could have been a double tragedy very easily. Paniced drowning people climb the ladder. the ladder being you or anything you have that will get them above water. That's how and why rescuers drown all the time.

I have heard that from old time islanders, scuba instructors and others.

Yep, approach panicking people in the water with extreme caution.
Good time to re-post this, too:  http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,25263.0.html