PILOT MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Drownings are on the rise as summers in North Carolina get warmer. The number of drowning deaths in the U.S. is rising after decades of decline, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rip currents, underwater waves and hidden debris are just some of the dangers lurking at your favorite swimming spots across the state. Elijah Childers, head of the Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad, makes sure his team is prepared for anything that might happen during a rescue.

Childers has been involved in animal rescue for nine years and says the hobby gives him an extra adrenaline rush.

“Most people choose to pursue a hobby of crocheting or knitting or, you know, making something. But this is mine, this is my release,” Childers said.

Elijah Childers looks at the sonar equipment. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)

This is his second year as chief of the Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad, having also served as deputy chief for many years, helping manage volunteers ranging in age from high school to 80 who are ready to assist with water rescues, Pilot Mountain rescues or other responses. The squad is looking for more volunteers.

“We are grateful and thankful that we have all these people who are with us and answer the call. Our motto is, ‘These heartbeats answer for you.’ It’s our way of helping and giving back to our community and ultimately saving someone’s life,” Childers said.

Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, including nursing, manufacturing, technical engineering, so training is essential to ensure everyone’s safety and prevent them from becoming victims themselves.

“You can’t be a lifeguard if you can be someone who needs rescuing. That equipment will help you in terms of knowing how to use it. If you don’t know how to use it, it can hurt you as much as it can help you. And that’s why we emphasize and try to show our guys boat training, often familiarizing themselves with the boat, often just pulling it out and cranking it most of the time makes a big difference,” Childers said.

The team assists with rescue and recovery operations using tools such as hooks, sonar, underwater cameras and robotic arms to retrieve bodies from underwater.

“Anytime there’s an accident or anytime there’s a water rescue, things like this are incredibly important to the surrounding units or to our rescue unit because they give us an advantage in rescuing someone, and in this case, recovering someone and providing closure for the family,” Childers said.

He added that after recovery, his team should debrief the situation, as it is a big psychological burden for the volunteers, to make sure they have someone to talk to.

“I’m the last known contact of that person. They come over and you put a water bag around that person,” Childers said. “A lot of my guys don’t sleep after that. It’s hard to sleep if you’re asleep in your sleep and you’re still on the boat and you’re carrying that stuff around with you.”

Often, when people nearby see someone struggling in the water, they immediately jump into the water, which can cause the rescuer to drown due to increased panic.

“If the person is angry and attacking you, leave them alone. Let them calm down. Don’t go near them because they’re going to drown you. They’re going to be a drowning victim if they catch you. So leave them alone and let them calm down and you’re there with them. Once they calm down and relax, you can do the rescue,” Childers said.

These types of hooks are used to deepen bodies of water during mining. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)

Lifeguard drowning can happen to both a trained professional and a Good Samaritan.

“The first thing people want to do is climb on that lifeguard or try to grab that lifeguard, stay calm. That lifeguard will come to you. They’ll give you some type of raft, some type of device, a flotation device that will keep you balanced, keep you calm, and we’ll get you back to safety,” Childers said.

He added that rescuers will have ropes with safety equipment attached to them, but not all of them are properly prepared before calling for help.

“If you see someone in the water in trouble, tell them to stay calm and that you are coming to their aid, throw them a flotation device or a rope and see if they can come to you,” Childers said.

The final step is to get into the water yourself and always have a backup plan.

He added that parents will instinctively jump into the water after their children if they are having trouble keeping their balance, but he encourages them to stay calm and make sure they take swimming gear or a rope with them when entering the water.

“As a parent, most parents, you know, they want to scream and yell and they’re scared. That’s OK. Give your child that. It’s OK. I’m coming for you. Be calm as a parent and go to your child and let them come to you if they can, okay. And then hold them,” Childers said.