How to Spot a Drowning Swimmer
Drowning should be easy to spot, right? The victims rush about, crying for help, trying to stay above the water.
Actually, no. This may be what drowning looks like in Rescuers Malibu , but in real life, drowning is quieter and much more difficult to detect. In fact, it is often not so dramatic that half of the children who drown do so within 25 yards of their parents , and 10% of those drowning happen while the parent is watching.
To help the public discover what drowning actually looks like, a group called Lifeguard has released a series of videos called Find Drowning. This is real pool rescue – as you look through the footage, see if you can find a swimmer in trouble before the lifeguard jumps in. Sometimes it’s pretty straightforward. In other cases, this is terribly wrong.
What to look out for: As drowning defense expert John R. Fletemeyer explains at Aquatics International , wrestling often involves “moving your arms up and down quickly and your feet back and forth.” Rescuers sometimes refer to this behavior as “climbing stairs.” The victim then begins to hyperventilate as their head sinks lower and lower. Here’s an infographic showing other quieter signs of drowning.
From Lifeguard Rescue: “This same scenario is repeated hundreds of times in pools around the world. The parent or guardian loses sight of the child and they find themselves in a dangerous situation. You can see the adult this child is with appears at the stairs next to the child and the guard at the end of the video. “
From Lifeguard to Lifeguard: “This kid has come out of the tube and is trying to swim back to the shallow end. Very soon, this child will be upright in the water and gasp for air. He struggles to use his hands to push the water down so he can lift his mouth and nose to inhale, but this is only possible for a certain amount of time. “
From Lifeguard Rescue: “This is a great example of someone having trouble calling for help when they are drowning. The guest is desperate to get the attention of the rescuer, but is unable to use his voice. It’s terrible and a good reminder of why so many people can go unnoticed. “
Please note that the purpose of the videos is “to educate you about the importance of paying close attention to those who cannot swim / weak swimmers in the water,” the group’s Facebook page says, not to teach you how to become a lifeguard yourself. If you ever notice that someone is having a problem in the water, the United States Swimming Schools Association (USSSA) recommends that you “quit, don’t quit,” meaning you should instead throw something like a kick board or beach board. ball to a person in danger. jump into the water yourself. Also call 911 or have someone else do it. And if you need to get into the water to save someone from drowning, it’s best to approach the person from behind to reduce the likelihood of the person grabbing you and dragging you under the water.