Farm Safety Camp Manual

Water Safety

The following information is recommended and based on the American Red Cross concept of "Toss and Throw, Don't Go" and the Ohio State University Extension Service, Farm Pond Safety publication # AEX-390.

Goal:
Reduce and prevent pond drowning deaths.

Objective: the camper will be able to respond to a possible drowning without entering the water by tossing a heaving jug, or rescue device, and retrieving the victim.

Materials Needed

Flotation device with a rope
Heaving jug is a flotation device which uses an empty gallon milk jug with a closeable lid, a small amount of weight added to the jug, and a rope that will reach to mid-pond and secured to the jug. Directions available from the American Red Cross Longfellow's "WHALE Tales" program (www.redcross.org)
And/or plans for a rescue post, which can be placed near a pond (available from Red Cross and Ohio Cooperative Extension Service)
Long tree limb
Shirt

Procedure:
Divide class into groups of four with one team member as the victim and the other three team members as responders.

Victim:     Position beyond arms reach (demonstration in classroom or dry ground)
Team:      Respond to situation

Repeat the scenario until all campers have practiced the tossing and retrieval procedures.

Points to teach:

• Never swim alone
• Throw the drowning person a flotation device or heaving jug
  
  1. Keep your weight low and position yourself so that feet are apart and one foot is slightly forward.
  2. Hold the flotation device in your right hand if right-handed, or left hand if left-handed.
  3. Retain the coil of rope in your other hand. Demonstrate holding onto the rope. See American Red Cross recommendations
  4. Direct your throw beyond the victim with an underhand toss.
  5. Keep trying until you can reach the victim with the flotation device.
     
• Extend a tree limb if close enough for victim to reach it.
• Do Not enter the water to try to help victim. You may get into trouble also!
• The importance of a rescue post and directions for constructing a rescue post. Most pools in Georgia have rescue equipment at poolside. However, VERY few farm ponds have rescue equipment nearby. The following directions are a guide for constructing and placing rescue equipment by a farm pond.

Rescue Post

Adapted from the Ohio State Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Engineering Department, pamphlet #AEX-390.

1. Place a brightly colored, 6 foot-tall post vertically about 2 feet deep in soil near pond edge.
2. Attach a nail, hook, or long shelf bracket to the post about 2-3 feet above ground level.
3. To one end of enough nylon rope to reach mid-pond, attach a ring buoy or flotation device and to the other end of the rope attach a block of wood or weight device.
4. Coil the rope and place on the nail, hook, or long shelf bracket.
5. Also attach a long (12-14 feet), light-weight pole to the rescue post as a reaching device.
6. Mount removable waterproof directions to the nearest telephone along with emergency phone numbers (Several copies of typed or clearly visible directions in a plastic bag).

Back to Contents

---