OCEAN CITY — A long-time Ocean City Beach Patrol (OCBP) sergeant with a strong background in ocean rescues and spinal injuries last month gave on oral presentation on the subject at a World Conference on Drowning Prevention event in Canada.
OCBP Sgt. Jamie Falcon presented the results of his Ph.D. dissertation entitled Evaluating Near Shore Spinal Injuries and Alternatives to Reduce Their Occurrence at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Vancouver, Canada. The event was hosted by the International Lifesaving Federation and was co-sponsored by the World Health Organization.
Falcon, a member of the OCBP since 1997, is considered an expert on the subject of ocean rescues and spinal injuries in the surf. Like many of the OCBP officers and rank-and-file surf rescue technicians, Falcon is a full-time educator when he is not manning the beach in Ocean City. He teaches economic at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and recently received his Ph.D. in public policy. His dissertation on ocean-related spinal injuries was well-received, which is why he was tapped to deliver the results of his research at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention last month.
“This is a problem at coastal resorts around the world,” he said. “I’m happy to have contributed an empirical study of this little understood problem.”
Falcon’s research delves into the inherent risks of swimming in the ocean near the shoreline and the potential for spinal-related injuries. He also explored the potential impact of changing dynamics in the ocean floor caused by activities such as beach replenishment, for example.
Ironically, he was making his presentation in Vancouver while Ocean City was preparing for its latest round of beach replenishment, which got underway this week. In an abstract of his dissertation, Falcon cites some of the issues related to surf injuries.
“Most recreational activities involve risk which is managed by a combination of individual choice and provider management,” the abstract reads. “Coastal beach recreation is popular, but injuries can occur. In particular, spinal injuries can occur when bathers are thrown by waves or erroneously dive into shallow water. Victims may be thrown by waves when they are intentionally riding the waves, or even when they may be standing, sitting or walking.”
In the abstract, Falcon points to a possible nexus between spinal injuries in the surf and man-made activities including beach replenishment, for example.
“Personnel at coastal beaches take actions that can potentially increase or decrease the incidence and severity of coastal spinal injuries,” the abstract reads. “The effects of beach replenishment, artificial reefs and on-site education efforts were surveyed and evaluated for their effect on the incidence and severity of potential spinal injuries reported at the scene of the incident. Beach replenishment is an ongoing government activity believed to be related to spinal injuries.”
Falcon’s research into coastal spinal injuries and a possible nexus to beach replenishment goes beyond his Ph.D. dissertation. He also presented a poster to the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association entitled “Measuring Beach Replenishment’s Effects on Aquatic Spinal Injuries.”
In addition to being an OCBP sergeant and a university professor, Falcon has also received many other accolades. He is a Navy quartermaster and rescue swimmer and has been honored with a United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) Meritorious Act Award for saving an infant from choking in Virginia Beach in 2014.
In August 2014, Falcon was in Virginia Beach officiating a USLA competition when he found himself in the right place at the right time. He had just finished judging a USLA competition when he heard a commotion coming from another area of the beach. His instincts kicked in and he quickly found himself resuscitating a 14-month-old child who was choking on a potato chip.
