KTVU, the local Fox TV station in the San Francisco Bay Area, reported on June 19 that an unresponsive teenager nearly drowned after experiencing shallow water blackout at swim practice on Wednesday, June 18. 17-year-old Austin Chase was pulled from the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club pool by two coaches and a club member, according to the report. Chase had been spotted by a worried nine-year-old, Jake Lee, who notified his coach, setting in motion the chain of events that led to the lifesaving rescue.
The entire episode was filmed by the club’s security camera. It shows the coaches jumping in, Chase being taken out of the water, and a camp counselor named Edwin Zuniga performing CPR seconds later. According to KTVU, Zuniga is an army reservist who is training to be an EMT and firefighter. He graduated the following night from the South Bay Regional Fire Academy.
SwimSwam has reported on the dangers of shallow water blackout several times recently, including the following:
http://swimswam.com/shallow-water-blackout-do-you-know-what-it-is-you-should/
http://swimswam.com/shallow-water-blackout-quiet-killer/
http://swimswam.com/shallow-water-blackout-interview-vasas-rob-sleamaker/
KTVU reported that Chase had recovered and was expected to be released from the hospital on Friday, June 20.
Thank you for posting this story and helping swimmers understand the dangers of shallow water blackout. For more information on how it happens and how to prevent it (tips on how to train safely) please visit http://www.shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org