By the time the sheriff's department divers got to the lake, he was long gone. And parents, especially those who are new to the area, should be more aware of the hazards of open water and communicate that to their children. Why More People Drown in Fresh Water Than Salt Water. "Swimming with a buddy (in a lake or river) isn't good enough," said Tony Gomez, injury-prevention manager with Public Health — Seattle & King County, "unless (the buddy is) a trained lifeguard.". It's like stepping into a cold shower, and you can have a hard time swimming.". They're more dangerous this year than in other years. Last year there were 17. "You want to point your finger (at drowning victims) and say they were doing something wrong," said Tizzy Bennett, health-education manager at Children's Hospital and a longtime member of the Drowning Prevention Coalition. Salt water is hypertonic to the ion concentration in lung cells, so if you swallow it the water from your bloodstream will enter your lungs to compensate for the concentration difference. Cardiac arrest from the ion imbalance may occur in as little as two to three minutes. But the water is 42 or 44 degrees, and if it's going over three or four miles per hour it can pull you downstream pretty quickly. People don't appreciate distances in open water. "They need to say 'Take your life jacket and wear it,' or 'I don't want you going there.' But people obviously count on it a lot.". About a month ago Tom Olesen, a 46-year-old Pierce County deputy sheriff, drove alone to Sunny Beach Point, a neatly manicured park nestled on the shore of Alder Lake, near Eatonville in Pierce County. For this you would need: - boat - a big-ass rock - rope - yourself You have different methods of doing this. This causes blood cells to burst (hemolysis). But by sharpening their knowledge of those hazards, people can safely enjoy these natural wonders — without the terrible and enduring anguish of families who have lost sons or daughters to the water. Motor skills are one of the first things to go. If you drown in cold fresh water, the temperature change as the water enters your bloodstream may even cool your heart enough to cause cardiac arrest from hypothermia. They advocate wearing a life jacket when boating or swimming in open water, for both children and adults, even those who know how to swim. Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. The mammalian reflex is a physiological response to drowning in cold water and is most pronounced among children. Try making a knot as if you were to hang yourself. When water enters the cells, it causes them to swell. Among these were the 12 drowning deaths in King County so far this year, seven of them since Memorial Day weekend. "Swimming is not a totally reliable protective measure. "With a little thoughtfulness and some technology, you can still go out there and minimize your risk," said Dr. Linda Quan, emergency-department director at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, and one of the world's foremost authorities on drowning. Drowning in fresh water is different from drowning in salt water. How to save the life of someone who’s drowning, Mouth at water level and may alternate between being just above the surface and just below it, Head tilted back as the person tries to float. You might tie the rock by your leg but my personal favorite is when the rock is tied up at one end of the rope and your neck at the other end.