Promoting free education, safety information and news for Fire, Police and SAR and Public Safety Dive Teams, Water Rescue Units and Underwater Crime Scene Investigation
Flash floods. Tsunamis. Rivers. Oceans. Hurricanes. The force of moving
water is powerful, majestic sometimes, and also potentially deadly.
Lakes. Ponds. Swimming pools and spas. Even still water offers a hidden
hazard. It only takes 30-seconds for a child to drown. And contrary to
what people think, there is usually no cry for help. Drowning is a
silent killer...
Too many families continue to suffer the loss or injury of loved ones in
open water. In addition to sudden death bereavement, post-traumatic
stress injury (PTSD) is frequently a compounding problem.
The Drowning Support Network (DSN) offers peer support to those who have
lost loved ones in drownings or other aquatic accidents, including when
no physical remains have been recovered, or the recovery process has
been lengthy and difficult. Water rescue/recovery personnel are also
welcome to participate.
We lend one another support and guidance. We promote drowning prevention
programs, water rescue training for emergency responders, standards for
recovery operations that reduce the burden on grieving families, and we
lobby for change in the way all open and moving water related
emergencies are managed.
We honor confidentiality. No research. No nonprofit or commercial solicitations allowed.
DSN is a moderated group. All potential members are screened and all
messages are monitored. Members must agree to abide by our published
terms of use in order to participate.
Information on this site is designed to support, not replace, physician-patient, provider-patient relationships.
DROWNING SUPPORT NETWORK ADVOCACY GROUP (DSN Advocacy)
DNS Advocacy is working to
create change in the way drowning deaths and other deaths in the
aquatic environment are prevented or managed.
DSN Advocacy is a companion group that grew out of the Drowning Support
Network (DSN). Families wishing to create positive change in the
aftermath of personal tragedies, as well as water rescue and recovery
personnel and other education and safety specialists are welcome to
participate.
We lend one another support and guidance on strategic planning and
dealing with political challenges. We want to ensure that water rescue
and recovery operations are well managed, funded, supported, and
politically mandated. We promote drowning prevention programs, water
rescue training for emergency responders worldwide, standards for
recovery operations that will reduce the burden on grieving families,
and we lobby for change in the way pool and spa incidents, as well as
open and moving water related emergencies are handled.
The Drowning Support Network (DSN) offers peer grief support for those
who have lost loved ones in drownings or other aquatic accidents,
including when no physical remains have been recovered, or the recovery
process has been lengthy and difficult.
Founder/Moderator: Award winning writer and documentary filmmaker Nancy
Rigg has long advocated for water safety and education following the
death of her fiance, Earl Higgins, who lost his life attempting to
rescue a child in fast-moving floodwaters.
We honor confidentiality and do not permit business, research or nonprofit solicitations.
DSN is supported by the Higgins & Langley Memorial and Education Fund, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Information on this site is designed to support, not replace,
physician-patient, provider-patient or attorney-client relationships.
The Higgins and Langley Memorial Awards honor outstanding achievement in
the technical rescue discipline of swiftwater and flood rescue. They
are not heroism awards, but rather recognize preparedness, teamwork, and
a job well done, sometimes under extreme conditions, where training is
vital to the success of rescue missions, as well as the safety of rescue
personnel.
The awards were established in 1993 by members of the Swiftwater Rescue
Committee of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) in
honor of Earl Higgins, a writer and filmmaker who lost his life in 1980
while rescuing a child who was swept down the flood-swollen Los Angeles
River, and Jeffrey Langley, a Los Angeles County Fire Department
firefighter-paramedic, who lost his life in a helicopter incident in
1993.
There are several award categories, including the highest award
presented: the Higgins and Langley Award for Outstanding Achievement in
the Field of Swiftwater Rescue. The Program Development Award honors
those who have developed and implemented stellar swiftwater rescue
programs. The International Award honors international teamwork and
individual accomplishments. Special Commendation Awards recognize
individual contributions, as well as teamwork. And on occasion, the
Lifetime Achievement Award is presented.
The Awards are presented during the National Association for Search and
Rescue Conference, followed by presentations at the local level.
