This document discusses shallow water blackout prevention through sharing stories of victims and survivors. It details the tragic drowning of Whitner Milner who died in his family swimming pool in 2011. It provides obituaries and stories of other victims who died from shallow water blackout during breath-holding activities. It outlines goals and initiatives to increase education and safety signage to prevent future deaths from this dangerous phenomenon.

1. Shallow Water Blackout
Prevention
A Mother’s Tragic Story

2. Photograph of Whitner on his last day at the
Atlanta Steeplechase on April 16, 2011

3. Whitner was found in
the deep end on the
bottom of our pool
just beyond the ladder
under our dog

4. Gene Whitner Milner III Obituary
Gene Whitner Milner III went to be with his heavenly father April 17, 2011.
He died in a tragic accident in the family swimming pool in Atlanta.
Whitner was born at Piedmont Hospital December 10, 1985 to Rhonda Dawes
Milner, MD and Gene Whitner “Dusty” Milner, Jr., and was preceded in death
by his grandfathers Gene Whitner “Jicker” Milner and William Alger Dawes,
Jr., and step-grandfather Major General L. Render Braswell, MD.
Whitner was a 2004 graduate of Woodward Academy in Atlanta, Georgia and
graduated from the University of Georgia in 2009, where he was a member of
Chi Phi fraternity. He was an avid lacrosse player at Woodward, where he
received the most improved player award as team captain his senior year.
Whitner was a near scratch golfer and spent his spare time golfing, hunting,
fishing, snow skiing, and boating. He also ran a half marathon with his
mother without training, finishing in 2 hours and 15 minutes. Whitner was
an avid spear fisherman and an accomplished free-diver who could
hold his breath for over 3 minutes. He loved animals and was devoted to
his labs, Red and Bella.

6. AQUATICS INTERNATIONAL

8. SHALLOW WATER BLACKOUT PREVENTION

9. Atlanta Journal Constitution Article
June 27, 2011
Atlanta Journal Constitution’s article on
Shallow Water Blackout called
“Underwater blackout a dangerous game.”

10. Drew Brislen
Michele Brislen, widow of 40 year-old free diver Andrew Brislen, wants to
educate people about the danger of shallow water blackout, which led to her
husband’s death near Laguna’s Picnic Beach on May 26, 2011.

11. Friend of Cousin dies in FL
Jacob Fowler
Jacob Fowler drowned June 27th, 2011 at the age of 22.
Fowler was a counselor at Camp Kulaqua, where he was attempting to
dive to the bottom of the lake.

12. Jonathan Proce and Bohdan Vitenko
July 13, 2011
Drown in 3 feet of water in a Staten Island Public Pool

13. Victims’ Memorials
David Heiner died June 18, 2008, at the age
of 19. David was in critical condition after a
near drowning accident at Cedarbrook
Country Club in Charlotte, NC. He was a
honor student at Utah State University.
Clifford Nyquist age 15 died November
7th, 2004 in a drowning accident at his
schools private swimming pool. In 4 ft of
water. Clifford was a star athlete and a
straight A student when his life was
tragically cut short from Shallow Water
Blackout.

14. Jimmy Funk
Died 50 years ago
Forest James Funk III, died swimming
alone at Lake Rabun at age 17 in 1962. He was a
wrestler and athlete at the Westminster
Schools in Atlanta, Ga.
He also enjoyed scuba diving, and he and his
father, a physician, had used a spear gun
swimming under their boat dock. At
Westminster he was a Junior Superlative.
There is a Wrestling award in his honor. They
presumed that the death was from
hyperventilating and breathe-holding.

15. Survivor stories
Survivor stories are important because they emphasize there is
no warning and the fitness of the victims having nothing to do
with their risk. Also, intentional hyperventilation may not be
involved.
Summer 2011 Chase M. a 26 year-old male was swimming competitively with
friends breath-holding passes out underwater and is rescued. He knew Whitner
and how he died.
Summer 2010 Cason, Whitner’s 22 year-old brother, swims underwater with
his brother without hyperventilation emerges cyanotic.
Fall 2005 Brian Larue practicing brick-walking breath-holding passes out
underwater.
Summer 1986 Julian Otley, 15 years-old, becomes unconscious swimming
underwater.

16. Athletic Business September 2011
The Deathly Shadows
GAME ON - GAME OVER
Victims of shallow water blackout are often:
 Participants in underwater breath-holding contests and
 Can drown within two and a half minutes.
Read the rest of this article here: http://athleticbusiness.com/editors

17. Aquatics International November/December 2011
“Deathly Shallow’s” Article
A poorly understood phenomenon is killing strong swimmers.
Experts say it’s time for the aquatics industry to take action or face
the consequences.
Please read the article in Aquatics International here:
http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2011/nov/1111_breathe.html

18. Vincent Lemmer
Sat Dec 24 07:52:12 2011
Subject: Vincent Lemmer
My gentle nephew, Vincent Lemmer aged 21, died 11 December 2011.
He was a qualified Dive Master and loved to be under the water.
He went for a dive in the scuba training pool "cave". And never came out.
We miss you so Vincent.
This email was received from Johannesburg, South Africa on Christmas Eve.
This is a Global Problem.

19. Clarion Signage

20. Goals
 Signage at public pools
 Children to grow up knowing underwater
breath-holding is dangerous not a game
 Warning labels on spearfishing equipment
 Online safety course for spearfishing and freediving
 Spear-hunting fishing license requiring safety course

22. LIFE IS PRECIOUS

23. SWB PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
PAST
 WWII: U.S. Diver’s Manual describes SWB
 YMCA: All “On the Guard” texts
 1983: ARC Lifeguarding Manual warns of SWB
 1985: Sport SCUBA Diving in Depth
 1995: ARC Lifeguarding Manual describes SWB
 1995: Silent but Deadly; Dying for Air;
7 Deadly Sins (A.I., A.B.)

24. Present
 Current ARC Lifeguarding texts make vague references to
hyperventilation.
 2008: David Blaine holds his breath on the Oprah Winfrey Show
 2008: 3 YMCA swimmers die of SWB, 3 Synchronized swimmers
pass out simultaneously
 2008: Shallow Water Blackout video released
 2008: Safety Training for Swim Coaches (ARC, USA Swimming)
ban hypoxic training.

25. Future
 Dr. Rhonda Milner extraordinary efforts through
SWBP.org. Victim memorials wanted.
 2012 ARC Manual promises to have huge warnings
vs. SWB
 Redwoods Insurance Group stresses SWB warnings
to lifeguards at JCC and YMCA through print and
video
 Clarion Safety Systems develop FIRST
ANSI/ISO/DOT compliant SWB Warnings

26. !!!ZERO TOLERANCE!!!
 BAN: long breath-holding, U/W swimming, hypoxic training
in ALL POOLS!
 EDUCATE: Health Departments, MAHC, Schools, P&R,
Admins., and others!
 POST: CLEAR, CONCISE, WARNINGS in three conspicuous
places (3 strikes)
 GET: Administrators, Supervisors, Lifeguards, and patrons all
on the same page
 BOMBARD: Coaches with literature

27. BREATH
HOLDING

28. Thank You!
 Dr. Rhonda Milner:
www.shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org
 Dr. Tom Griffiths:
www.aquaticsafetyresearchgroup.com