Open water swimmers can expect the unexpected. Do you know what to do in case of an emergency when swimming, paddling, escorting or kayaking in the open water?
What happens if something unexpected happens to your teammates or swim buddy? Who should you contact?
If the distressed swimmer has a mobile phone, try looking under ICE which is what paramedics, firefighters, police officers and hospital personnel use to contact family members.
Developed by British paramedic Bob Brotchie in 2005, ICE encourages people to enter their emergency contacts in their mobile phone under the name ICE (In Case of Emergency). Swimmers can also list multiple emergency contacts as ICE1, ICE2, etc.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.