- Care that must be taken in case of rescue in water
- What to do if you are drowning
- How to avoid drowning
During drowning, the respiratory function is impaired due to the entry of water through the nose and mouth, as the person cannot get out of the pool, river or sea. If there is no rescue quickly, airway obstruction can occur and, consequently, water accumulates in the lungs.
However, some measures can be taken to save a person who is drowning, and it is necessary, first, to ensure their own safety and check that the place does not offer risks to the rescuer, such as very fast rivers, rough seas, floods and turmoil of people. First aid to a drowning person is:
- Recognize the drowning, observing if the person is with arms outstretched, fighting not to be under water, because many times, because of despair the person is not always able to shout or call for help; Ask for help to another person who is close to the place, so that both can continue with the help; Call the fire brigade ambulance at 193 immediately, if it is not possible, call SAMU at 192; Provide some floating material for the person who is drowning, with the aid of plastic bottles, surfboards and foam or foam materials; Try to carry out the rescue without entering the water. If the person is less than 4 meters away, it is possible to extend a branch or broomstick, however, if the victim is between 4 and 10 meters away, you can play a buoy with a rope, holding on the end opposite. However, if the victim is very close, it is important to always offer the foot instead of the hand, because with nervousness, the victim can pull the other person into the water; Only enter the water if you know how to swim; If the person is removed from the water, it is important to check the breathing, observing the movements of the chest, listening to the sound of the air coming out through the nose and feeling the air coming out through the nose. If you are breathing, it is important to leave the person in the lateral safety position until firefighters arrive at the scene.
If a person is not breathing , it means that they have been submerged for a long time, and may have hypoxemia, which is the skin becomes purplish, loss of consciousness and suffer a cardiorespiratory arrest. If this happens, before the rescue team arrives at the site, it is necessary to start the service, starting with the stage of permeabilizing the airways. Check out more about what to do when a person becomes unconscious.
Care that must be taken in case of rescue in water
After assisting the drowning victim with the support of floating materials, one can try to remove him from the water, however, this should only be done if the rescuer knows how to swim and is safe in relation to the location. Other precautions need to be considered in case of rescue in the water, such as:
- Warn other people that the rescue attempt will be made; Remove clothes and shoes that may weigh in the water; Take other flotation material such as a board or float; Do not get too close to the victim, as the person may grab and pull to the bottom of the water; Only remove the person if there is enough strength; Keep calm, always calling for help.
These precautions are important so that the rescuer does not drown, and it is always necessary to keep someone outside pointing out directions and calling out loud.
What to do if you are drowning
If a drowning happens to you it is necessary to remain calm, as fighting against the current or struggling causes muscle wasting, weakness and cramps. It is also important to try to float, wave for help and only shout when someone can hear, because more water can get in through your mouth.
If drowning is at sea, you can let yourself be taken out to sea, out of reach of the surf and avoid swimming against the current. If drowning happens in rivers or floods, it is important to keep your arms open, try to float and try to reach the shore by swimming in favor of the current.
How to avoid drowning
Some simple measures can prevent drowning from happening, such as swimming or bathing in places that are known to be deep, that do not have currents and that are watched by firefighters or lifeguards.
It is also important not to try to swim right after eating or consuming alcoholic beverages, or after being exposed to the sun for a long time, especially if your body is hot and the water temperature is very cold, as this can cause cramps, making it difficult to move around. from water.
Children and babies are more susceptible to drowning, so some additional care is needed, such as not leaving them alone near or inside bathtubs, buckets full of water, pools, rivers or the sea, as well as avoiding access to the bathroom, placing locks on the doors.
Children under the age of 3 should always have their buoys inside a pool, rivers or sea and, if possible, to prevent these children from drowning, fences can be installed around the pool and enrolled in swimming lessons.
In addition, to prevent drowning, it is necessary to wear a life jacket on boat or jet ski trips and to avoid being near swimming pool pumps, as they can suck hair or trap a person's body.
