Sometimes things happen that they can't help. When I was little, my brother and I went to the pool all the time, and we were decent swimmers for our age. My brother had had an asthma attack the night before one day we went, and when he jumped off the diving board, it kinda hit him again and he started to drown cuz he was panicking. He had been swimming the whole summer no problem, but his lungs were still a little weak and he didn't realize it. Of course, the lifeguard got mad at my mom because he "couldn't swim" and therefore "shouldn't be jumping off the diving board," but shit happens.

To sue the lifeguard, duh

I can't swim, but I still go to the public pool. I'm just smart enough to only go to where my feet can still touch the bottom, and after I doggy paddle my way to the side, hold onto them to rest before swimming/paddling another lap.

No matter how good someone can be at swimming, accidents can occur where you accidentally pull something and it causes you to drown since you can no longer float or swim properly. I work in ED and have had people come in from drowning before, despite knowing how to swim. As someone who can swim, I have to say anything is possible in the water.

It boggles my mind too....

Coast guards are taught what?

Coast guards are (or maybe were) taught how to knock out people they are trying to rescue if the person is struggling, because otherwise they can drown the coast guard trying to climb onto them. And since people who are drowning aren't usually up to listening to reason, knocking them out is the best way to handle it.

How exactly were you to "knock them out" did you slip drops in their water.

To "knock [someone] out" means to punch them in a way that results in unconsciousness. There is a spot on the jaw that is supposed to make it easier.

That was my first thought too.