x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by sc.lmhostediq.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Fri, 10 Jun 2016 11:54:08 -0400 thread-index: AdHDMFKCJxyXNyhwS3a3oE9QZtI8+A== Thread-Topic: Save South Carolina from Drowning From: To: Subject: Save South Carolina from Drowning Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2016 11:54:08 -0400 Message-ID: <9F89279AF6FB4CC68936AD84FA7D1B88@IQ12> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 10 Jun 2016 15:54:08.0245 (UTC) FILETIME=[529EF250:01D1C330] CUSTOM Mrs. Bev Gray 2604 Augustus Street Charleston SC 29492 bev.reese@gmail.com 917-449-1131 EDUC Save South Carolina from Drowning 216.236.168.159 Dear Governor Haley, As a state, South Carolina ranks 11th in number of drownings. Not because we have more water but because we have lax laws. California has more coastline, more pools, but ranks 22nd. California has 840 miles of coastline, South Carolina has 187. There are 43,000 pools in Los Angeles alone. And California has the largest population of any state. So why is a person more likely to drown in South Carolina? This letter is to bring awareness to the need for stricter laws on community and public pools in South Carolina, especially at a time when more people are moving to the state. Recently I was sitting on the edge of my community pool, both of my children were in the shallow end and with 15 feet of me, but it was so crowded it took me several minutes to lay eyes on them. What disturbed me the most is that this dangerously overcrowded pool isn't required by law to have lifeguards, or fewer people. Having been at many dangerously overcrowded pools, both at hotels, in communities, etc., I realize the responsibility lies not just in individuals, but also in our laws. Laws can't guarantee that accidents won't happen, but can decrease the likelihood of accidental drownings. Laws should ensure that crowded pools have lifeguards at peak hours or when busy. It isn't enough to have a "swim at your own risk" sign because when pools are over-crowded, a persons individual risk is much greater. Laws should make sure that capacity laws are inforced. Either pools don't have but a few people in them at a time, or they have lifeguards monitoring them. A "Lifeguard" by definition should be a person whose job duty is guarding life, not folding towels, handing out towels or guarding a door. Lifeguards should have a clear unabstructed view of the pool and ability to access it quickly at all times. And lifeguards should be someone with up-to-date CPR training. Lifeguards should spend at least 90% of their job looking at the pool in the event of an emergency and to prevent accidents. Politicians shouldn't wait for more deaths to change laws, but rather have the foresight to see the problems coming and use their power to prevent it. What is the point of being in politics if the laws you pass are merely reactionary? After a terrible event has happened. It would be much better to use your influence to prevent deaths. Recent years have shown immense population growth in South Carolina, especially in the coastal areas. South Carolina is one of the nation's fastest growing states, with Mt. Pleasant one of the nation's fastest growing cities. Community and public pools should be required to have lifeguards during busy times. Law should demand 1 lifeguard per X number of people at pool. These lifeguards by law should be CPR trained and be required to be looking at the pool. Also, pools should be required to have signs that list the warning signs of "dry drowning" or "secondary drowning" or "delayed drowning" because even though this deadly phenomenon makes up approximately 2% of all drownings, it is still largely unknown. And it is also preventable. South Carolina's license plates say "While I breathe, I hope." But there's not much hope for those not breathing. I urge you to change laws to increase breaths in South Carolina. Every year thousands of Americans die a preventable death, you might not be able to change laws to save lives all over the US, but you can save lives in South Carolina. Warm regards, Bev Gray