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Kamloops News

Midnight river swim sends victim to hospital

Riverside Park was the scene of a midnight dive into the South Thompson River that sent a 25 year old man to Vancouver hospital.

It’s the kind of accident that safety experts warn us about every summer.

A Kootenay man, 25, is in serious condition after diving into shallow water during a middle of the night swim with friends in the South Thompson River in Kamloops.

Kamloops RCMP and the paramedics from the B.C. Ambulance Service were called to Riverside Park at about 2:30 a.m.

Sgt. Edward Preto says the victim was rushed to Royal Inland Hospital, and than transported to Vancouver General Hospital.

There's no word on his current condition.

According to the Canadian Red Cross, over 50% of diving injuries and deaths involved alcohol and/or drug abuse.

 

 

The statistics on diving injuries and deaths break down like this:

* Diving is leading sports-related spinal cord injuries

* Many diving incidents result in quadriplegia – a partial or complete loss of functioning in legs, arms and the trunk area.

* Almost 90% of people with serious injuries caused by careless diving are confined to a wheelchair FOR LIFE.

* 95% of diving injuries occur in water 5 feet deep or less, in an unsupervised setting with no warning signs.

* The average diving-related spinal injury casualty is male, 17-22 years old, with no formal training in diving.

* Diving incidents often occur during a first-time visit to the location.

* Over 50% of diving injuries/deaths involve alcohol and/or drug abuse.

* Over 40% of spinal injuries caused by careless diving occur in backyard pools.

* Diving can be a fun activity; however, it can also lead to serious spinal cord injury and death.

* Parents can help prevent spinal cord injuries by setting a good example of where and how to enter water. In familiar and unfamiliar water, always go in FEET FIRST THE FIRST TIME!

Here are some safety tips from the Canadian Red Cross:

* Obey “No Diving” signs/markings and diving depth regulations.

* Check the shape of the pool or waterfront bottom to be sure diving area is large enough and deep enough for the intended dive. It should be twice your height for the whole dive.

* Dive only where there is ample clearance from the point of entry to the up-slope in front of the take-off point (i.e. deck or dock). The presence of a diving board does not necessarily mean that it is safe to dive. Pools at homes, motels and hotels may not be safe for diving.

* Dive in clear, unobstructed water. Always check first for objects under the surface such as logs, stumps, boulders and pilings, and be aware of variable or changing depths.

* Always enter the water FEET FIRST THE FIRST TIME, to be sure of the water depth and be aware of any hazards.

A 25 year old Kootenay man was rushed to hospital in Vancouver with serious injuries after diving into shallow water in the South Thompson River in Riverside Park.
A 25 year old Kootenay man was rushed to hospital in Vancouver with serious injuries after diving into shallow water in the South Thompson River in Riverside Park.
Image Credit: SOURCE/Google Earth
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