Editor’s note: This marks the first report in what will become a series of Ocean Rescue Watch columns about the people on Kaua‘i who rescue others and work to keep our beaches and waters safer. 2011 was a landmark year
Editor’s note: This marks the first report in what will become a series of Ocean Rescue Watch columns about the people on Kaua‘i who rescue others and work to keep our beaches and waters safer.
2011 was a landmark year for ocean safety in many ways, while at the same time it was “more of the same.” In other words, we live in a unique county where there are more drownings than there are deaths by motor vehicle accident.
I have in hand the official 2011 coroner’s log of drownings, with the number totaling 13. Looking at these numbers from different orientations can be like blind men feeling different parts of an elephant and each one describing a completely different animal. The coroner’s report includes, for example, the tragic couple who died in the ultralight crash off Honopu in May, as well as three different bodies that were found in the water, with nobody knowing what really happened a day or two prior. And on the other side of the ledger there was a man who went missing in the Po‘ipu area. It’s suspected he was heading out to swim in the ocean, but nobody knows what actually happened. He isn’t an official “drowning,” but maybe he was.
My own orientation is from a lifeguarding point of view. That is, how many drownings were there which could have been prevented if we had the perfect Kaua‘i Lifeguard program in place with more lifeguard towers where they are needed? I get upset that preventive steps could be taken that aren’t being taken and won’t be taken because of financial decisions. At the same time, I realize that some level of bottom-line numbers will never go away.
Our ocean is rough and, even when it isn’t, it can have unseen currents. Many of our beach-goers have underlying health issues. This all adds up to a guaranteed level of deaths, just as driving down a highway at 50 miles per hour with cars whizzing by you two feet away going in the opposite direction at 50 miles per hour guarantees some trauma deaths.
What gives me comfort, and often elation, is hearing about the often-amazing rescues that kept our number from being two or three or four times as high. I got a Christmas card from a man in Texas who was about to drown at Anini until someone showed up out of the void with a rescue tube. They both hung onto that until the Hanalei jet ski came screaming around the corner a few minutes later and got them both safely to shore.
Positives
The positives in 2011? First and foremost, our lifeguards. They are the cornerstone from which we build any attempt to make Kaua‘i’s beaches safer with hundreds and hundreds of rescues, and many tens of thousands of “preventions.”
Second, our surfers and swimmers. One of my hospital Emergency Room partners, a good surfer, just the other day saved a man who was drowning off of Hideaways and brought him back into the beach on his board. This happens, I suspect, several times a day.
Third, the continuing doggedness and excellence of kauaiexplorer.com, with its daily conditions report, in addition to a whole lot of other great information, including fabulous graphics of rip currents — what are they and what do you do about them.
Fourth is a new app called Kauai Beach Guide, available on i-Tunes. The creator of this app has devised an ingenious, color-coded beach rating system. Green equals lifeguards present. Yellow equals no lifeguards present, but waters might be safe on a calm day. Red equals don’t swim there.
Fifth is the continued growth of Kaua‘i’s rescue tube stations. The Rescue Tube Foundation dedicates itself to upgrading and maintaining our program. We know of 11 people who are alive (and their 11 spared families) because of this program.
Six, our eighth straight State Junior Lifeguard championship introduced a new young cadre of ‘force multipliers’ on our beaches.
Seven, the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association’s First Wave fundraiser was held for the first time in 2011 with the help of professional fundraisers and event organizers. Hundreds of people opened their hearts and their wallets for the effort. Some people donated $25, and some donated $10,000.
The result was that the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association was able to donate four new ATVs and three new jet skis to the County Ocean Safety Division and significant amounts of money to organizations and programs that carry out the association’s mission of improving ocean safety on Kauai.
The year ahead
The goals for 2012 are to continue and strengthen the programs that are in place, including the lifeguard program, the rescue tube program, a visitor-industry oriented project called the WAVE program, the association’s Junior Lifeguard program and the expanded Keiki Junior Lifeguard program for children ages 8 to 12.
Another goal is the delineation of areas and guidelines where rented stand-up paddle boards can and cannot be used, to address disaster-waiting-to-happen conditions stemming from novice stand-up paddlers creating chaos with these large, weighty boards in densely populated swimming areas.
A new program is in the works that will use kiosks with beach-specific information at trail heads and beach fronts. A prototype for one beach already has been created, based on an aerial photograph of the beach with arrows showing rips and including concise wording about rip currents and other potential dangers to watch for at the beach.
A Second Wave campaign and fundraiser is in the planning stages.
Let me conclude with my own moment of silence for families who suffered catastrophic losses in 2011, both in our waters and on our highways and in our world.
Each single “number” is immeasurable. It’s a life and it could be my or your son, daughter, wife, husband, brother or sister. And, after this moment, a thank you to all of you who have proven that you care.
• Dr. Monty Downs is president of the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association.
