Conference at ISHOF about Drowning Survivors with Near-Death Experience Huge Success
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL., August 18th, 2017. The International Swimming Hall of Fame proudly hosted a successful conference on Near-Death Experiences While Drowning.
The conference raised awareness about the near-death experiences phenomenon in relation to drowning. Swimming teachers, lifeguards, head lifeguards and nurses attended this informative and enlightening event that left everyone satisfied. In addition to the oral presentations, posters were presented about NDEs, drowning, historical perspective, lifesaving sport and canoeing safety by scholars and aquatic professionals from the USA, Greece, Ireland and Norway.
Six main presentations were made orally. Bruce Wigo¸ JD (ISHOF President/CEO) talked about the importance of hosting a conference on drowning-related NDEs making reference to the non-fatal drowning of his son. Audrey C. Dalton recounted her NDE after a drowning episode at the age of 5 and the aftereffects on her life. Janice Miner Holden, EdD, LPC-S, NCC, ACMHP (Professor of Counseling and Chair of the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, University of North Texas) presented an overview of 40 years of research on NDEs. Stathis Avramidis, PhD (Officer, Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; Seasonal Instructor of Applied Lifeguarding and Lifesaving Sport at the University of Athens; Lifesaving Sport Director, Hellenic Federation of Underwater Activity) talked about the NDE Mnemonic, the NDE Protocol and the "footprints" of NDEs in history, Hollywood and reality. John Spannuth (President/CEO, United States Water Fitness Association) underlined the importance of providing swimming and lifeguard lessons.
Overall, the conference yielded the following conclusions:
Lifeguards and other emergency or medical professionals (nurses, doctors, police, fire brigade) should talk to their victims, because even when victims are unconscious or their heart is not beating, they may be able to hear and even see.
About 20% of those that survived a close brush with death (e.g. heart attack, spinal injury, drowning or any other cause of death) had an NDE. Lifeguards and other health professionals can use the NDE acronym protocol, presented at the conference, to ensure that they respond helpful, and not harmfully, to drowning survivors who had an NDE.
Lifeguard organizations should include in their training an awareness of drowning NDEs to arm their professionals to work effectively with near-death experiencers.
The "Rescue Protocol for Drowning Survivors with Possible Near-Death Experience" provides further guidance for professionals.
Drowning and water-based causes of death can be prevented with appropriate education.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame may play an essential role in promoting water safety by offering a related exhibition and acting as a connector of the various organizations that serve aquatic safety, lifesaving and lifeguarding across the world.
To download freely the Book of Abstracts, the "Rescue Protocol", and the book "Near-Death Experiences while Drowning", click here. The videos of the oral presentations will be uploaded shortly. To learn more about the activities and the mission of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, please visit: http://www.ishof.org
