Area drowninas increase
By HEIDI SWILLINGER
OMh» Emarald
While a myriad of lakes and rivers in Lane
County provide excellent resources for escap
ing the heat, people apparently need to use
more common sense when boating or swim
ming
According to Dale Trink, emergency services
assistant for the Lane County Search and Res
cue Unit, the number of area drownings is
abnormally high this year
Ordinarily by the end of June, only three or
four drownings or "water-related incidents" are
reported Since January, however, the Search
and Rescue Unit has responded to 10 water
incidents, including seven drownings
"Now that the weather's better, the problem is
going to get worse," Trink predicts
"People aren't thinking," he says "All of (the
drownings) can probably be summed up to
carelessness,"
Some basic precautionary measures seem
obvious, but Trink says people tend to ignore
them or take them for granted For instance, he
says, "Know how to swim You'd be surprised
how many people don't "
Also, he suggests using life jackets That
means wear them, he cautions, don’t just stow
them away
But parents of small children should
remember that life jackets are no substitution for
close adult supervision
Don't "drink and swim," says Trink "People
don’t realize how much drinking affects stamina
and the length of time they can stay in the
water .’’
Accidents often occur when people overes
timate the durability of rafts or inner tubes
"They think they can take the rapids in a mickey
mouse rubber raft," Trink says
In addition, he warns people not to overload
boats, canoes or rafts. "Most boats are de
signed for a specific number of people " Know
the limit and adhere to it, he says
Trink stresses respect for the water, and
suggests that people study an area before going
out in a boat "Never go into an area you don’t
know," he says
Trink also warns about hypothermia — the
lowering of the body's core temperature
"Hypothermia is one of the biggest killers,"
Trink says
"When swimming in cold water, you have 10
to 15 minutes before it gets to you."
Graphic by Max DeRungs
Montagu at
conference
World renowned anthro
pologist Ashley Montagu will
discuss children's unrecog
nized needs during a University
conference latef this month on
the socialization of children
Montagu is one of seven
prominent scholars in human
development who will address
the public conference, set for
July 21-24 at Valley River Inn
Other speakers include
Raymond Lowe, a University
counseling professor who di
rects a model parent-youth
center in Eugene and who will
talk on Dissidents of the '60s
Parents of the '80s"; Sandra
Scarr, a Yale University psy
chology professor who will lec
ture on "The Effects of Families
on Social and Personality
Developmentand Constance
Kamii, a psychology professor
at the University of Illinois who
will address "The Role of the
School in the Development of
Autonomy
Registration costs for the
general public are $80 for the
entire conference, $25 for in
dividual days and $10 for each
evening lecture For University
students, costs are $30 $10 and
$4, respectively
For additional information,
call Mary Leighton at 686-3405
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