Mayor Carvalho is proclaiming this week to be Kaua‘i Ocean Safety week, and I am taking the opportunity to make a few comments about where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed. Kaua‘i’s quite unique challenge is that,
Mayor Carvalho is proclaiming this week to be Kaua‘i Ocean Safety week, and I am taking the opportunity to make a few comments about where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed.
Kaua‘i’s quite unique challenge is that, over the last 30 years, we have suffered more drowning deaths than we have deaths by motor vehicle accident. Both are unthinkably traumatic and tragic for victims and surviving family members.
We all know that great effort is expended on our motor vehicle dangers — e.g. speed limits (none more important than the 40 mph along the Wailua golf course corridor), seat belt laws, safety checks, license renewals, DUI laws, etc.
For quite some time, efforts directed towards ocean safety lagged far behind. It is very special to be able to review how far we have come in addressing this. And yet, despite much effort, ocean safety is still one tough nut to crack!
Our ocean is often rough, and even when it may not seem rough, there are unseen dangers (rip currents, submerged rocks); there are joyful beach users who have underlying health problems; there are adventuresome visitors who are chomping at the bit to get to beaches and play in shorebreaks, as far away from civilization as possible; there are drunk swimmers just like there are drunk drivers, and the results can be just as disastrous.
All these are just a few of the challenges. Oooh boy.
Despite these challenges, we can point to a significant reduction in our drownings in 2010, half as many as we suffered in 2008 and 2009. It remains to be seen whether 2010 was a statistical blip, or whether, please God, we’re onto something.
In honor of our Ocean Safety Week I’ll offer up a very brief summary of what has been achieved, both in our professional ranks (i.e. lifeguards) and in our volunteer community.
First, our Lifeguards: We’re up to 45 Lifeguards (from 11 in 1990). With modern equipment and technology (Jet-ski’s, ATV’s, 911 system integration), and with annual stringent agility-drill and training requirements, our lifeguards now cover the entire island, rather than the old-school concept of them guarding the beach area right in front of their tower.
This is an ambitious, maybe even foolhardy goal, but our professional men and women have accepted what we ask of them and they have stepped up to the task with remarkable skill and courage. Consequently we’ve enjoyed some of the most spectacular rescues imaginable, all along our coastline.
Meanwhile, our Mayors and councilors and fire chiefs have kept up with providing and renewing the equipment required for this ambitious goal. The equipment takes “dirty lickins” in the beach elements they’re exposed to, and it requires constant maintenance and renewal.
And, by the way, our Lifeguards themselves take dirty lickins — i.e. bruises all over — when they go screaming up the coast in trade wind chop conditions with their Jet Skis and rescue sleds, flying off wave tops as they pound their way to a swimmer in distress, arriving at the scene and plunging into ocean conditions that would finish off a sizable percentage of us (including your truly) in a hurry.
I also need to mention that a huge part of our ocean safety message is “Please Swim Near a Lifeguard”, and “Please talk with a Lifeguard before you enter the ocean.” The latter message has led to our lifeguards not only having to be vigilant with their binoculars, and daring and skillful with their rescue techniques, but also to be first line public ambassadors and aloha greeters. Not to mention that they’re the trainers and coaches of our 7-consecutive State champion Junior Lifeguards. Quite a job description we have handed them! You can gather why I’m their No. 1 fan.
Regarding community efforts:
1) WAVE Project, which trains our visitor industry front line personnel (e.g. concierges, activity desk personnel, time-share sales-people) regarding what they need to know in order to give our visitors sound ocean safety advice.
2) Lobbying for important Legislature bills as they come up. A big one this year was HB548, “the guide book bill”, which although it didn’t pass, it opened up communication channels which will help our guidebooks offer excellent and responsible safety information along with their great “enjoy Kaua‘i” information.
3) Rescue Tube program. There are now 110 rescue tube stations on our beaches. I keep a record of whenever I hear of a usage in a critical situation, and I have documented 35 such usages. Review of these incidents reveals that 8 or 9 people would have drowned in the last 2 years if a rescue tube were not present.
Rotary clubs have been a huge supporter of this program, not only financially but also with new techniques and ideas. We have also had many individual supporters. You know who you are, and thank you.
Most recently, a Rescue Tube Foundation has been formed, it’s goal is to spread the rescue tube station concept statewide, and even nation wide — so that one day maybe every rock quarry swimming hole or lake beachfront or ocean beachfront will have rescue tube stations.
An important new project that we’re just beginning to ramp up will be attractive and informational kiosks at beaches. The display will show a color aerial view of each particular beach, and our kauaiexplorer.com graphics designer will superimpose key arrows and hazards, as well as some short text regarding just what a rip current is, and what you should or should not do if you get caught in one.
We’re hopeful of getting our flagship/prototype kiosk installed in 2011, and our vision is that after the community sees how terrific our prototype is, we’ll be off and running towards getting kiosks at 30, 40, 50 beaches and trail-heads.
There are a number of other projects I could mention, but what I really want to mention is you/us. Our Kaua‘i community has really taken on this challenge as our own. Every day now I meet people who are looking for a way to be part of the solution.
There is Cheryl, a supermarket cashier who told me, one day as she was tallying up my items: “Dr. Downs, I want you to know that whenever I check out a tourist I tell them to be careful in our waters.”
There is my colleague Dr. Susan Littler who stopped me in the hospital hallway the other day to tell me she had just been talking with someone next to her on an incoming airplane, telling them to please be careful in our waters.
There is Chris Kanahele, who masterfully saved a newlywed couple from certain death after they’d been sucked 1/4 mile offshore in rough conditions at Polihale a month or so ago. (And he represents our many, many lay surfers and beachgoers who save lives, all the time).
There are Branch and John and Bill, Rotarians who are “making me shame” with how much work they’re putting into our rescue tube project.
There is Renata and her Kaua‘i Youth Network, who put in many hours making a short video of “how to use a rescue tube”. (And we have begun showing this at school assemblies).
There are Andy and Dave and Roberta and Sue who are putting in countless hours to organize a spectacular October 9 Ocean Safety fundraiser, featuring Taj Mahal and Donovan Frankenreiter and Tina Marie and other bright stars. The proceeds of this will go directly to “A jetski for every Tower.” (Much more later, as the date approaches).
The list of you/us goes on and on. If we are going to make a difference in this challenge, it is because of you, me, us. I am so honored and thankful to share this effort with all of you. Thank you. Keep it up.
The ocean is relentless and that’s what we have to be in order to protect our people and our visitors. One island. Many peoples. All Kauaians.
• Monty Downs, M.D., Wilcox Hospital E.R., is a long-time water safety advocate on Kaua‘i.
