Coast Guard highlights dangers of Maine’s cold water

MAINE, Maine — The U.S. Coast Guard is reminding Mainers of the dangerously chilly water temperatures as spring rolls alongside. In the course of the first week of April, the Coast Guard was referred to as to assist with two totally different rescues, one in Eastport and one other in Orrington, leading to a fatality.

“Thankfully, this case [Eastport] ended with a constructive end result because of the fast and decisive actions of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Eastport crew and the Calais Fireplace Division. Nevertheless, it serves as a stark reminder of the significance of chilly water security and the way quickly wind and seas can create treacherous situations on the water,” Commander LuAnn Kehlenbach, response division head and search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, mentioned.

The Coast Guard desires to encourage mariners to assessment the next chilly water security measures revealed by the Nationwide Secure Boating Council:

• Be certain everyone seems to be sporting a life jacket (even skilled swimmers will expertise shock inside one minute within the frigid water and lose muscle management inside 10 minutes.)
• Share with somebody you belief all the small print of your journey earlier than you allow the shore. That is your float plan.
• Gown correctly for the climate, at all times put on layers, and convey an additional set of garments in case you get moist.  Keep in mind, costume for the water temperature, not the air temperature.
• Use your navigation lights to alert different boaters of your presence in darkish and/or foggy situations.  
• Catch your breath.  A sudden, surprising fall into chilly water causes an involuntary gasp (or torso) reflex.  It takes lower than one-half cup of water in your lungs to drown.  In case you stay calm, you’ve a higher probability of self-rescue.
• Don’t panic for those who fall into the water.  Keep afloat with the assistance of your life jacket.
• Don’t apply warmth to extremities like legs and arms of a rescued sufferer.  This sudden change in temperature might trigger cardiac arrest.

In line with the Nationwide Secure Boating Council, these are the phases of cold-water immersion:

• Chilly shock:  You’ve one minute to regulate to the chilly shock response – don’t panic.
• Swimming failure:  You’ve 10 minutes of significant motion to get assist and get out of the water.
• Hypothermia:  You’ve about one hour earlier than you grow to be unconscious from hypothermia.
• Submit-rescue collapse:  You “quit” and collapse after or proper on the time of rescue.

For added sources, click on right here.

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