DOUGLAS, Mass. — After an 18-year-old woman drowned in a Douglas pond over Memorial Day weekend, emergency responders are urging caution when celebrating summer.
Thought Memorial Day is often the unofficial start of the season; the weather is still far from summer here in New England.
“The water temperature where she was found was about 56 degrees – so very cold water,” Douglas Deputy Fire Chief John Furno explained Saturday.
According to ColdWaterSafety.org, your breathing begins to be affected at water temperatures under 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Official temperature guidelines for Olympic swimming pools state the water should be between 77 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
The young woman, identified as 18-year-old Annie Krantz of Oxford, was swimming with friends on Whitin Reservoir when Furno said she appeared to struggle before going underwater.
MORE: 18-year-old drowns in Douglas, police say
Almost an hour and a half later, she was pulled from the water unconscious and pronounced dead at a hospital.
Chief Furno says it’s a reminder the water is still too cold to swim safely.
“Because quickly you can cramp up and bad things can happen. Stay out of the water until we can get some warmer temperatures,” he said.
The Livestrong Foundation indicates cold shock can set in when swimming in water at 50 degrees or below. In fact, some safety websites recommend wearing a wetsuit in water below 60 degrees.
Krantz and her friends were not from the Douglas area, according to the chief. Although, it appears others were swimming in the pond that day.
“We pray for them, we try our best as firefighters to help people and when you have an outcome like this it’s disheartening for the town and the firefighters. So we pray for them,” said Furno.