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Uh oh!
Another water park death. This time they're really blaming the lifeguards:
Fox News:
"Authorities are investigating the death of a 33-year-old man who died in an apparent drowning at Wild Waves Water Park in Federal Way, Wash. on Saturday.
Officials from the park, which opened for the season just a week ago, confirmed in a statement that lifeguards pulled a man out of one of the Activity pools around 5:30 p.m. in the evening. Lifeguards on the scene began performing CPR-- but witnesses say they didn't act quickly enough.
Alexa Bugg, a tourist visiting Wild Waves with her family on Saturday, said she and her brother tried to tell a lifeguard that they saw someone in danger, but that their first attempt went ignored by staff, reports FOX 13.
Al Henderson, another parkgoer who says he witnessed the incident, echoes Bugg’s sentiment.
"He said I think someone is drowning and he told the lifeguards and then they came down and they said, no, I just think they’re metal grates," Henderson told FOX 13, who said he also witnessed the incident"
"the circumstances of his death are unclear, though some witnesses point fingers at the lifeguards, claiming they were slow to react. Other witnesses describe the scene as chaotic and say the lifeguards took time to debate about what to do."
"On Saturday night, witnesses said the man who died was more than 6 feet tall and weighed more than 240 pounds and that lifeguards seemed slow to react.
But, some of those lifeguards are now being criticized, after the drowning on Saturday night.
Brad Lampman, who is a former Wild Waves lifeguard, brought his daughter to enjoy the water park on Sunday. But, he said he's now concerned for her safety and others, after observing the lifeguards.
"You know, you’re a lifeguard and I think they need to take that a little more seriously," said Lampman. "They weren't watching, one of the girls was sitting there talking to her friends".
"He said I think someone is drowning and he told the lifeguards and then they came down and they said, no, I just think they’re metal grates..."
Huh???
I guess they thought the person struggling near the bottom of the pool was not a person and were just metal grates? Very odd to confuse a person for metal grates.
Bringing up his height and weight so much makes me think their excuse will be that the lifeguards didn't think they could rescue him. Well then, they shouldn't have allowed him in the water. Good lord. I am fed up with water parks.
How does a water park just now open for the season? Its almost September.
I've Life-guarded at resort pools for many college days summers. I've often errored on the side of caution. For instance, one boy was playing "rag doll" and was holding his breath while lying at the bottom of the pool. Another time I jumped in after 2 little girls playing "tea party" at the bottom of a pool. Most people do not know what drowning "looks" like.
It's not like the movies, it's usually very subtle. Even people right next to a person drowning don't identify it. It only takes a teaspoon of water in the lungs to facilitate a drowning episode.
I've also had overly intoxicated people almost drown in the pool, choking on their own vomit.
Here's an example of a child drowning, but people around him can't tell. This Lifeguard is on it!!
I imagine it's also really hard to see in a wave pool, which is basically like a washing machine on the agitate cycle, and people are usually packed in there like sardines. Still, when in doubt, you don't stand around discussing it -- you jump in.
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