If you notice a person floating vertically in the water, unable to call for help, act quickly: there is a risk that they are drowning, so they will need immediate help. Drowning occurs in minutes; if there is no lifeguard nearby, you have to intervene. If you are prepared, you can save another individual's life.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Assess the Situation
Step 1. Determine if a person is drowning
Victims of an ongoing drowning are conscious but in grave distress and unable to call for help. They usually wave their arms. It is really important that you recognize these signs quickly, as the victim could be completely underwater within 20-60 seconds.
- A drowning person floats in and out of the water with their mouth slightly above the surface and cannot move forward.
- He appears visibly distressed, but is unable to cry out for help because he does not have enough oxygen.
Step 2. Call for help
No matter how experienced or trained you may be, having a helper is always a great idea. Shout out to people around you that someone is drowning. Call emergency services immediately, especially if the victim is floating face down.
Step 3. Decide which saving method to use
Keep calm and try to figure out which is the best intervention technique based on where you are and the type of body of water. Get a float device if possible. If the victim is close to you, try to find a handhold. In case it is very far away, then you should use a sea rescue technique.
- It takes a few seconds to get the victim's attention. Stay calm and keep talking to her.
- If you have a shepherd's cane handy, use it to reach the victim who is out of reach in a swimming pool or lake.
- Use a lifebuoy or other easy-to-throw life-saving device to reach a person who is very far from the shore; these tools are also used for offshore rescue.
- Dive into the water and swim until you reach the drowning victim only as a last resort, when you can't get close in any other way.
Step 4. Proceed with saving
Stay calm and focused. Panicked people are more likely to make mistakes and can further stress the victim. Get her attention and let her know you are going to help her.
Method 2 of 5: Rescue the Victim by Providing a Handhold
Step 1. Lie on your back on the edge of the pool or dock
Spread your legs to make sure you are in a stable position. Don't extend over the edge to the point that you lose your balance. Reach out to the victim and yell at them to grab your hand, your arm, or the lifesaving device you are holding out to them. You will have to scream several times before the person can hear you. Speak loudly, clearly and confidently.
- This type of intervention is only useful if the drowning victim is near a pier, shore or poolside.
- Don't try to help her by standing up. You would find yourself in a precarious position with the risk of falling into the water.
- Extend your dominant hand as you will need some strength to drag the victim to safety.
- Grab an object to extend your range if the person is out of reach of your arm. Virtually any object that extends the hold you offer by a few meters is a valid aid; you can use an oar or a rope if the victim is able to grab them.
- Drag the victim to safety out of the water and gently help them to land.
Step 2. Find a shepherd's cane
It is a long metal stick with a hook at the end that is used both as a grip to which the victim can cling and as a device with which to grab it, in case the victim cannot cooperate. Many swimming pools and beaches are equipped with this accessory.
Warn other people on the dock to stay away from the end of the stick to avoid hitting them. They must not interfere with rescue operations
Step 3. Stand a safe distance from the edge of the dock
Point your feet in case the victim pulls the stick. Remember to stand far enough from the edge to avoid the risk of being dragged into the water. Hold the hooked end of the pole in a place that the person in distress can grasp. Yell at the victim to hold on to the stick. If you are unable to do so, submerge the curved part under the water and wrap it around the victim's torso, just under his armpits.
- Keep the hook away from the victim's neck to avoid serious accidents.
- Point it carefully, because there are often visibility problems.
- When the victim finds the hook, you should feel a strong tug.
Step 4. Get the victim to safety
Make sure she grabbed the rescue device you brought her before dragging her towards you. Pull it slowly and carefully, until it is close enough to grab it. Lie down on the ground and make sure you are in a stable position before reaching out to the victim to bring them to safety.
Method 3 of 5: Rescue the Victim by Throwing a Lifebuoy
Step 1. Find a floating device
Ideally, a device with a rope that allows you to drag the victim ashore. A lifebuoy, life jacket or floating pillow are always available at the lifeguard station, both in the pool and in the bathing areas. The boats are equipped with life jackets, so use one of these tools in case the accident happens offshore.
Step 2. Throw the life buoy
Make it fall into the water as close to the victim as possible, without hitting it directly. Take into account the direction of the wind and currents before launching it. Tell the person that you are about to throw away the device and that they have to hold on to it.
- A good technique is to throw the life buoy over the victim and then pull the rope towards her.
- If you are unable to make an accurate throw or the victim is unable to hold on to the life buoy, pull the rope to retrieve it and try another device.
- If you do not get the desired results after several attempts, then you must try another rescue technique or you must enter the water and bring the life jacket closer to the victim.
Step 3. Try throwing a rope
Another useful tool for rescuing a drowning person is the rope without ballast. Loosely wrap the string around the hand you are not using for casting and possibly tie the end into a loop where you will insert your wrist. Perform a bottom-up motion to throw the rope to which you have tied a lifebuoy. Let the rope unwind freely from the non-throwing hand. If you haven't tied a loop around your wrist, secure the free end of the rope with your foot to avoid losing it.
- When you throw the rope, aim behind the victim.
- When the person in distress has grabbed the rope, he drops the part that is still wrapped around his hand and begins pulling the rope until the victim has reached the shore or is unable to stand in shallow water.
Method 4 of 5: Rescue the Swim Victim
Step 1. Assess your swimming skills
Swim rescue should be the last technique to consider, as it requires some training and excellent athletic skills. Victims often fidget in an uncoordinated manner and panic, making the situation very dangerous even for the rescuer.
Step 2. Enter the water with a rescue device
Do not try to swim to the victim to save them without a flotation device; the first reaction of the person in distress will be to cling to you, so you must have something that helps both of you to stay afloat and that ensures your safety as you perform the recovery surgery. If you don't have a lifebuoy, bring a T-shirt or towel to hand to the victim to get them to safety without getting too close.
Step 3. Swim towards the victim
Freestyle to quickly reach the drowning person. If you are in a very large body of water, use a technique for swimming in the open sea, so as not to be repelled by the waves. Throw the rescue device for the victim to grab it.
Give the victim instructions on how to hold on to the rescue device. Remember not to get too close, as there is a good chance the victim will push you underwater
Step 4. Return to shore
Move in a straight line towards dry land, dragging the victim behind you. Check every few strokes that she is always clinging to the rope or life jacket. Keep swimming until you are both safe on shore, finally get out of the water.
Always keep a safe distance between you and the drowning person
Method 5 of 5: Caring for the Victim after Recovery
Step 1. Assess the person's vital signs
Make sure his airways are clear, that he has a heartbeat, and that he is breathing. Get someone to call 911 and check on the victim according to ABC protocol. Make sure you inhale and exhale and that no foreign bodies are blocking the airways. If there is no breathing, then evaluate the heart rate on the wrist or neck. Continue to monitor your heart rate for 10 seconds.
Step 2. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation begins
If there is no heartbeat then you need to proceed with resuscitation. If it is an adult or a child, place the base of the hand in the center of their chest and cover it with the other hand. Perform 30 chest compressions at the rate of 100 per minute. Press the sternum so that it is lowered by 5 cm. Wait for your chest to return to its normal position between each compression. Check if the victim has started breathing again.
- Do not apply pressure on the ribs.
- If the victim is a newborn, just apply pressure to the sternum with two fingers. Press down for 3.5 cm.
Step 3. Give artificial respiration if the victim is not breathing spontaneously
Only perform this technique if you have been trained to do so. Start by tilting the victim's head back, lifting their chin. Close her nose by pinching it between your fingers and cover her mouth with yours. Blow into his mouth with two one-second breaths. Make sure the person's chest rises and follow the two breaths with 30 chest compressions.
Continue with this cycle until the person returns to breathing spontaneously or until the ambulance arrives
Advice
- Your safety is the priority. If you feel your life is in danger, walk away and reevaluate the situation before trying to rescue again.
- When you have to drag someone by the pool, put their hands on top of each other and finally rest yours on top of them, this way you won't lose your grip. Gently tilt his head back so his face doesn't fall back into the water.
- Enter the water only if you have no objects available to reach the victim. Finding yourself in the water with a panicked individual, such as a person about to drown, can prove fatal for both of you.
- If the victim is panicking, it is safer to grab him from behind. If you approach from the front, the terrified person may cling to you too strongly and drag you underwater. The best way to proceed is to grab her by the hair or shoulder from behind without touching her hands.
- Do not try to help by standing up, otherwise you could be dragged into the water.
