Stay Safe This Summer: Maine Officials Urge Caution as Drowning Deaths Rise

As temperatures climb across Maine, state officials are sounding the alarm about water safety after a spate of drowning deaths in recent weeks. With the Fourth of July holiday weekend approaching, authorities are urging residents and visitors to exercise caution in and around the state's lakes, rivers, and beaches.

The Maine Warden Service recovered the body of a Rockland man from Chickawaukie Lake in mid-June. Earlier that same week, a 4-year-old from Boston died after a near-drowning incident at a hotel pool in Kennebunk. Days later, a Westbrook woman went missing while searching for golf balls in a pond.

The tragedies have prompted fresh warnings from water safety experts who say many people overestimate their swimming abilities.

"Once it's warm enough in Maine to access natural water sources, we might make decisions that we wouldn't otherwise, and people are often not as competent swimmers as they think," said Brooke Teller, founder and executive director of Maine Community Swimming, citing an American Red Cross report. According to the Red Cross, while 80 percent of adults say they can swim, less than half can perform the five basic water competency skills needed to save their own lives.

Sean Vaillancourt, lifeguard supervisor at Popham Beach, urged beachgoers to have emergency plans in place and know their physical limits.

"Be prepared. Never swim alone. Notice your location and how you're feeling at all times," Vaillancourt said.

One often-overlooked hazard involves sand holes dug on the beach. Vaillancourt warned that children who fall into holes above knee-level can become trapped as sand collapses around them, and rescue can be extremely difficult.

"People don't think about this, but it's one of the highest risks we see," he said. "When little kids get, or fall, into these holes, and the sand collapses, it is incredibly difficult for us to get them out before suffocation occurs."

For those at the ocean, rip currents represent the leading danger. According to the National Weather Service, these currents can move faster than an Olympic swimmer. If caught in one, experts advise floating on your back, then swimming parallel to the beach until free before angling back toward shore. Fighting the current directly can lead to exhaustion and disaster.

Dr. Samir Haydar, vice chair of emergency medicine at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, also warned about the dangers of overheating. He noted that when the body begins losing its ability to cool itself through sweating, that signals a serious problem.

"When you reach a point where your body's really trying to dissipate heat, what it tries to do is sweat the heat out," Haydar explained. "But when your body starts losing that battle, you start noticing that you stop sweating, and that is a telltale sign."

Cold water poses its own risks even on the hottest days. U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist Lyric Jackson recommended that swimmers of all skill levels ease into cold water rather than jumping in. Hypothermia can set in within an hour of submersion, with symptoms potentially appearing within 30 minutes.

When it comes to helping someone in distress, Vaillancourt cautioned against the instinct to jump in after them.

"So often people go in after others and become a second or third victim," he said. Instead, he advised calling 911 and throwing a flotation device or reaching with a pole, paddle, or even a cooler or branch. Those who must enter the water should bring a flotation device and keep it between themselves and the struggling person.

Alcohol remains a significant factor in water-related deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that alcohol is involved in up to 70 percent of drowning deaths among adolescents and adults.

"Sometimes people make the mistake of drinking alcohol and enjoying the outdoors, and when you're swimming around a boat, that becomes a lot more dangerous," Haydar said. He emphasized staying hydrated and avoiding alcohol when around water.

For boaters, wearing a life jacket cuts the risk of drowning in half, according to the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife advises checking maps for water depths and hazards, going out with another person, and telling someone on shore your planned route and expected return time.

Jackson encouraged swimmers and boaters to check tide and current conditions using weather apps and to pay attention to beach flags—red for high hazard, yellow for medium, green for low, and purple indicating dangerous marine life. Personal locator beacons, small GPS devices that can send distress signals to Coast Guard command centers, are also recommended.

With summer in full swing, Teller emphasized that swimming lessons and skill refreshers remain available for all ages through Maine Community Swimming, YMCA Southern Maine, and the American Red Cross.

"Designate an adult to watch children within arm's reach," Vaillancourt added. "Don't rely on lifeguards alone or become distracted by phones, books or alcohol."