Picnicking as a Recreational Activity: Investigation of Drowning Cases

Recreation is an activity that people voluntarily participate in leisure. Nowadays, the recreational demands of people are constantly changing. The activity of picnicking, which is an important part of our culture, is an important outdoor recreation activity we have met in early ages. Regardless of whether the settlements are small or large, it can be regarded as an activity that can be done without a leader when there is a suitable environment. The favorable environment is mostly water-like areas, especially in the spring, with the end of the winter season, especially in the summer months. Aquatic environment is offer opportunity for sportive performance and recreation activities. Aquatic environment isn’t natural habitat. However, it allows standing on the water surface without sinking physically. Drowning is defined as the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion /immersion in a liquid. Drowning is a serious problem when it’s evaluated in terms of public health. The aim of this study was to examine cases of accidental death by drowning in water during picnicking as an outdoor activity in Turkey province between 2005 and 2010. The News was searched online via search engines using keywords such as “drowning in the picnicking, drowning in the see, drowning, drowned by falling in the water, rescuer drowning” etc. in this study. The news was collected day by day for the period between January 1st, 2005 and December 31st, 2010. Personal information concerning the victims, the places of drowning, the reasons for being there, water environment, the time of the day, were recorded. Analyses of the data were performed using SPSS 23. As a result of this research it was found that 236 people had lost their lives in this 6-year period (Between 2005-2010) through drowning as a result of carried out in order to have a picnic as an outdoor activity in Turkey. Water safety training should be provided to children at an early age to prevent deaths by drowning