Maine lost a couple of well respected citizens over Veterans Day weekend, both to drowning, both to cold water as our fall season makes its change to winter, and both, tragically, needlessly.

From information published in the Bangor Daily News, we have been told that Colby College senior associate dean of admissions Thomas Kopp, 69, was thrown into cold water in Great Pond in Belgrade from a capsized 14-foot aluminum skiff and drowned. His son Michael and his three grandsons, ages 14, 12 and 10, were also in the boat when it was struck by a wave and flipped.

Michael Kopp, of Rhode Island, and the three children were able to make it to shore. They were transported to a hospital to be checked out for possible hypothermia. Divers recovered Thomas Kopp’s body Sunday in 10 feet of water.

Neither Thomas nor Michael Kopp was wearing a life jacket.

In the St. John Valley, well respected Fort Kent businessman and community leader Norman “Bim” Ouellette, 51, drowned Sunday after the 14-foot boat he was in with three other men was capsized by rough waters on Third Chase Pond in T14 R9 in northwestern Maine.

According to an account published in this paper, Warden Sgt. Dan Menard said the weather was poor at the time and a wave hit the bow of the boat, capsizing it. The three other men made it to shore and walked back to their camp where they summoned help. Menard said Monday that Sunday’s wind chill was not hospitable.

Ouellette’s body was recovered at 2:45 p.m. Monday by warden divers in 32 feet of water about 120 feet from shore.

The boaters were not wearing life jackets, which were in the boat.

Two families are now left to pick up the pieces, to grieve, to try to get on with their lives and wonder what might have been done to prevent the loss of life.

What if the boat operators had reconsidered how their crafts were loaded, the weather and the waves?

What if they had stayed put until the wind and waves had subsided?

What if there were fewer passengers or less gear in each of the boats and the operators had made a couple of trips to ferry passengers instead of trying to make the trip with a boatload?

I can’t offer answers, only conjectures. But I can say that both of these well respected gentlemen might still be with us today had they the forethought to put on their personal flotation devices. It might not have guaranteed their survival, but it sure would have improved their odds.

Had Kopp not sunk beneath the surface, he might have had a good chance of making it to shore like the rest of his party. Ouellette was only 120 feet from shore when he went beneath the surface. The rest of his party made it to shore. A PFD likely would have made the difference between life and death in these cases.

Here’s the point: You stand a lot better chance of surviving a boating accident when your head stays above the surface of the water. A PFD helps you do that. It can’t help you when it’s stashed in the bottom of the boat.

What the experts say

Here’s what the United States Search and Rescue Task Force says about cold-water immersion:

“The first hazards to contend with are panic and shock. The initial shock can place severe strain on the body, producing instant cardiac arrest …

“Survivors of cold-water accidents have reported the breath driven from them on first impact with the water. Should your face be in the water during that first involuntary gasp for breath, it may well be water rather than air. Total disorientation may occur after cold-water immersion. Persons have reported ‘thrashing helplessly in the water’ for 30 seconds or more until they were able to get their bearings.

“Immersion in cold water can quickly numb the extremities to the point of uselessness. Cold hands cannot fasten the straps of a lifejacket, grasp a thrown rescue line or hold onto an overturned boat. Within minutes, severe pain clouds rational thought. And, finally, hypothermia (exposure) sets in and, without rescue and proper first aid treatment, unconsciousness and death.”

What to do in the water

Cold water robs the body’s heat 32 times faster than cold air. If you should fall into the water, all efforts should be given to getting out of the water by the fastest means possible.

Persons boating in the cold-water months should be thoroughly skilled in rescue and self-rescue techniques. Most accidents involve small boats which, with practice, can be righted and re-entered. Most boats, even filled with water, will support the weight of its occupants. If the boat has capsized and cannot be made right, climb on top of it.

Physical exercise such as swimming causes the body to lose heat at a much faster rate than remaining still in the water. Blood is pumped to the extremities and quickly cooled. Few people can swim a mile in 50 degree water. Should you find yourself in cold water and are not able to get out, you will be faced with a critical choice – to adopt a defensive posture in the water to conserve heat and wait for rescue or attempt to swim to safety.

Should you find yourself in the water, avoid panic. Air trapped in clothing can provide buoyancy as long as you remain still in the water. Swimming or treading water will greatly increase heat loss and can shorten survival time by more than 50 percent.

The major body heat loss areas are the head, neck, armpits, chest and groin. If you are not alone, huddle together or in a group facing each other to maintain body heat.

Preparation

Proper preparation is essential when boating on cold water. Make sure your boat and equipment are in first-class condition. Check the weather forecast before leaving for your event. Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. Dress in several layers of light clothing. Next to a diver’s wet suit, wool clothing offers the best protection. Always wear a personal flotation device when boating.