Frank Pia
Encyclopedia
Francesco Pia is an American lifeguard
, recognized in the field for his research and training on ways to rescue people in trouble in the water. He is best known for the Pia carry
, a widely used method of holding a drowning non-swimmer's head out of the water while swimming with the victim to shore; the instinctive drowning response
which characterizes people on the verge of sinking underwater; and the RID factors in supervised drownings.
where he received his BA in 1968 and his MA in 1973. He attended the City University of New York
and received his MS in 1976, and an Advanced Certificate in Clinical School Psychology in 1977.
He has several publications in the area of forensics on drowning accident causes that are used by lawyers and aquatic experts in personal injury litigation, including:
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
, recognized in the field for his research and training on ways to rescue people in trouble in the water. He is best known for the Pia carry
Pia Carry
The Pia Carry was created for use exclusively by lifeguards by Frank Pia. It requires a strong legs-only kick that is used to support the drowning non-swimmer as far out of the water as possible , to stop the instinctive drowning response. It is standard procedure for most lifeguard training...
, a widely used method of holding a drowning non-swimmer's head out of the water while swimming with the victim to shore; the instinctive drowning response
Instinctive drowning response
The instinctive drowning response is a set of behaviors automatically undertaken by a person who either is, or is very close to, drowning.These are autonomic responses of the body, undertaken without deliberate control, and "represent a person's final attempts to avoid actual or perceived...
which characterizes people on the verge of sinking underwater; and the RID factors in supervised drownings.
Education
Pia attended Long Island UniversityLong Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
where he received his BA in 1968 and his MA in 1973. He attended the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
and received his MS in 1976, and an Advanced Certificate in Clinical School Psychology in 1977.
He has several publications in the area of forensics on drowning accident causes that are used by lawyers and aquatic experts in personal injury litigation, including:
- Unobserved Drownings: The Unnoticed Struggle
- Establishing Causation in Unobserved Drownings