Greensboro Personal Injury Lawyer - Property Owner's Liability (Slip & Fall)

Teen Buried in Sand Almost Drowns in Bald Head Beach High Tide

Lawrence Egerton — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:26:36 GMT

Most of us have fond memories of playing in the sand at the beach. Building sand castles, and burying each other are staples of summer time beach fun. But as one New Jersey teen found out this weekend in Bald Head Island, NC, these games are not without their hazards.

He was buried up to his neck in the sand at Bald Head Island, when the tide began to come in. The water climbed above his head as other swimmers struggled to build makeshift sand barriers and dig him free. He even ended up breathing through a snorkel given to him by a bystander before he was rescued by emergency personnel.

Thankfully there were enough people around that were able to think quickly and save this boy. Had it not been for their efforts, this story would surely have had a more tragic result.

You should never leave anyone buried in the sand. Obvious as it seems, you should never play near the water alone to begin with. The deep dark waters beyond the breaker isn't the only place you can drown. It only takes a few inches of water.

This also reflects a theme I spoke about in an earlier post; the lack of sufficient safety personnel at our beaches, and a lack of effective methods for enforcing the rules we do have. We all love the beach, but we need to know that we are going to be safe while we're there. It's time we got serious about water safety.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lawrence Egerton

Vacation Turned Tragedy: Boy Drowns at Fort Fisher Beach

Lawrence Egerton — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:35:58 GMT

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/ / CC BY 2.0

Saturday brought yet another drowning death this year. This time it happened at the beach near Fort Fisher, NC. 10 year old Emanuel Carter was vacationing with his family this weekend when they were all pulled into a rip current. Lifeguards were able to save his brother and parents, but were unable to save Carter. His body was found later that day during a search.

Lifeguards have heightened security enforcement following the accident, flying red flags on Sunday, reminding swimmers to only wade knee deep. The This doesn't change the dangers of swimming in open waters. But lifeguards at Fort Fisher reminded News 14 Carolina:

The NWS issues a green color for low, yellow for moderate and red for high risk. But that forecast encompasses a broad stretch of oceanfront and not specific beaches. Forecasters lump these areas into zones due to similarities in their orientation...

...Regardless of which flag is flying, both forecasters and lifeguards say rip currents can form at any time. Beachgoers should stay alert and educate themselves on swimming along the coast.

Public beaches are manned with lifeguards, and while these brave individuals do the best they can, they are often far outnumbered by the swimmers they are meant to protect. And, even the best prepared lifeguard can't always make it to a victim in time if they have been pulled out too far.

More lifeguards are needed at our beaches. Many beaches in North Carolina do not even have lifeguards. The beach I regularly visit at Topsail has none. I always take extra caution, generally staying away from the water.

Why were the safety precautions not enforced more strictly on Saturday? Only at times like these when people die, does the inadequate alert system, and understaffed safety patrol issue come to media attention. These issues need to be addressed before another person is killed. No family's day of fun in the sun should turn into a situation like there was this weekend.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lawrence Egerton

NC Judge Lost: Drowned While Saving Son

Lawrence Egerton — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:49:43 GMT

In an act of heroism fitting a member of the Judiciary, Judge John Mull died over the weekend after pulling his 17 year old son from the water to safety. The accident happened near Charlotte, NC in the Catawba River, where the family had been building a house for years. According to the Sheriff: "They weren't but 100 yards from the house," the sheriff said. "He got his son back to shore, and then the family turned around and the judge was gone." It is still unclear what happened, but he was found underwater about 45 seconds later.

His son had been suffering from cramps and Judge Mull had jumped in to help him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. It is a loss not only to them, but to all of us that such a selfless individual has been taken from us. It is also a reminder of how quickly events can turn, and to always respect the dangers of swimming in open water. Unfortunately, too often the rescuer can become the victim as attention is turned to the person just saved. While concern for ones own safety is lowered, you inadvertently put yourself at risk too.

Cramping is only one of the dangers that swimming can pose. Swimming in lakes and rivers comes with its own unique safety hazards. They can be host to bacteria and hidden debris. There is also the danger of unexpected undertows, and eddies that can pull a swimmer under. You should never swim alone. Remember there are seldom lifeguards posted at lakes or on rivers. If you do swim in open water it is best to wear a flotation vest.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lawrence Egerton

Foreclosed Homes, Abandoned Swimming Pools: A Growing Hazard to Neighborhoods

Lawrence Egerton — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:24:11 GMT

With the number of foreclosed homes continuing to rise each day, more and more community pools are being left unattended. Those that are left undrained become stagnant, algae-filled breeding grounds for mosquitoes, as well as a drowning hazard. Even pools that have been drained pose a significant danger to the public, especially children.

When a pool supervised by adults and 8 lifeguards is not enough to stop child deaths, imagine the danger an unattended cloudy pool contains. Drowning deaths caused by these public hazards can be prevented, but who is responsible for keeping these pools safe?

_{http://www.flickr.com/photos/eole/}_/_{CC BY-NC-SA 2.0}

When the homeowner is forced from the home, and it sits unsold, who is responsible for the public health and safety? Even with the home vacant, the homeowners association should have some responsibility to the neighborhood as a whole. Especially when the pools that have fallen into disuse are community pools. The city and county also have some responsibility to protect public welfare.

address the issue. But, most importantly, make sure your kids understand the dangers and to steer clear of abandoned pools.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lawrence Egerton

Young Girl’s Swimming Death Reminds Us to Maintain Vigilance at the Pool

Lawrence Egerton — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:40:14 GMT

The girl pronounced dead after being found unconscious at a public pool Friday June 26^th in Winston Salem was just six years old. She was supposed to be under the watch of 2 adults and 8 lifeguards. How is it then that she died?

It used to be that when kids went swimming, they had a buddy. You always swam in pairs. If something happened, your buddy would find help. Did anyone instruct these kids on pool safety? Did anyone instruct these adults? How long was this poor girl in need of assistance before anyone noticed? Her mother told Fox 8 News:

"Some swimmer saw her on the bottom of the pool and went down to get help…(They) don't know how long she was down there."

Her father questioned this as well speaking to another local news station:

"There should have been more supervision," Britton said. "For her to be in 12 feet [end of the pool], something was wrong."

Kids need to be able to understand how to react to situations like these, and adults that are supposed to be monitoring their safety need to be trained and certified.

Many daily situations could be life threatening, but being aware of risk and having measures in place to reduce liability and promote safety should be the norm. It is a terrible tragedy that this child died, and it is our responsibility to find out what factors were responsible. Once armed with that knowledge, we will be better equipped to make sure that accidents like these don’t happen again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi9G4O-JEJ4

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lawrence Egerton