What Should You Do If You See Someone Drowning?

[BoMan]

When 8 years old, I went snorkeling alone near a beach where my parents were enjoying a party. After a wave swept over my tube, I inhaled water and panicked. Luckily there was a happy ending because my Mom knew what to do.

Have you seen or experienced anything like this?

According to Dave Wassel, a working North Shore lifeguard, here’s what to do when you see someone drowning or see someone who has already drowned.

You also can’t hurt a dead person. Everybody’s covered by the Good Samaritan Act, so TRY to help.

If you see someone drowning, don’t go out and grab someone’s hand. Always give them the board or whatever you have that’s buoyant. When you approach that person get that object between you and the person.

NEVER ever take off that person’s leash because if you do and you get hit by a wave, you’re going to lose sight of that person.

You HAVE to get them on the beach, call 911 and start doing compressions.

CPR is hands-only; there is no mouth-to-mouth. It’s straight up chest-compressions —100 compressions a minute. So, if you think about it, that’s almost 2 a second, so that’s really fast.

After compressions, if the person starts vomiting, roll them to the side so they don’t choke on their vomit. You can tell if the compressions are working because when the heart starts beating, the person changes color pretty instantly.

Surfing Magazine
http://www.surfingmagazine.com/originals/what-can-a-surfer-do-if-they-see-someone-drowning/#d7GdZbiHbiHxg1pW.97

American Red Cross – CPR
http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/perfoming-cpr/hands-only-cpr

[dtc]

Rule no 1 is don't put yourself in danger. Every year in Australia rescuers drown while the rescuee survives. Personally I wouldn't swim out to rescue someone without a floatation device (board) unless I knew there was somebody coming out behind me with one (eg they were running to their car to get it). I swim 5km or so a week in a pool and have life saving qualifications and I'm still not confident I could rescue someone in anything other than small surf without a board. Obviously if it's family then different principles apply!

The comments to the surfing mag article suggests giving breaths at a 30:2 ratio to compressions. I checked with my brother in law who is a beach lifeguard (volunteer but has to be qualified) and they use the 30:2 ratio (the first few minutes can be compression only). Also the principle that anything is better than nothing so don't do nothing because you aren't sure

There are some techniques to get unconscious people onto boards - best to google. Eg tilt the board sideways, bring the person over and try to get the board under them - rather than manhandling onto the board

Finally - remember that the correct speed for compressions is in time with the chorus to 'staying alive' by the bee gees!

[waikikikichan]

According to Dave Wassel, a working North Shore lifeguard, here’s what to do when you see someone drowning or see someone who has already drowned.

You also can’t hurt a dead person. Everybody’s covered by the Good Samaritan Act, so TRY to help.

Comment not about surfing but good advice to know, DO NOT remove the helmet of a fallen motorcycle/moped rider. Some riders have been left paralyzed due to the well intended assistance of Good Samaritans. Let the paramedics remove the helmet AFTER they stabilize the neck.

[Big H]

I have rescued 6 people in my life.....pulled one off the seafloor at 30 ft as a scuba dive master, another off the bottom of the pool I was lifeguarding, the rest were floundering in the water....if you aren't trained and big like me, don't go face to face with a drowning person...there is a VERY good chance that they will drown you....one person I punched in the head before rescuing them....it actually is a technique, stuns them and allows you to proceed.....there is too much to cover on what you should do, but quick answer is to not let that person close to you within touching distance, should try to use tools like floats, surfboards, pool hooks, boat hooks, floating rings to offer to the person to hold onto....even a towel is better than your hand though the person will probably scale the towel and go straight for you if they can.....what you ought to do is yell for help and let someone who knows what to do take care of it....if it just you, DO NOT LET THEM TOUCH YOU, even if it means letting them drown in front of you rather than creating a double casualty situation.

[billie_morini]

I cannot resist: "Throw an anchor to the drowning party!"
My apologies. I may still a juvenile delinquent.
If you look over here, then you'll see me re-telling the story (again) about the day I nearly drowned while surfing: viewtopic.php?f=40&t=27431

Relatedly, my employment has required me to be trained in CPR since 1987. Coincidentally, Mrs. Morini is joining a neighbor's medical office this week when all employees obtain their Red Cross CPR certs.

[LostAtSea]

Good thread - thanks for sharing this knowledge.

[Naeco78]

Great subject and info. I thought i would give it a bump with lots of Lifeguards going into the offseason this time of year.. but still with lots of surf and warm water around. Surfers can kinda become the pseudo lifeguards in those situations from my experience

I think Nick Carroll did a good job with his safety/response series. Good info and techniques to use if there's an emergency

Nick Carroll's Surf Safety Series: Episode Three - How To Handle A Crisis In The Water

[oldmansurfer]

Surfers are often the auxiliary lifeguards because they are there and know the ocean. The sad thing about good minded people attempting to rescue others is they are often not qualified and end up needing rescuing themselves. Here is one such story a guy goes into the ocean to help swimmers in distress and ends up drowning while the two swimmers he went in to save made it in without help.https://beatofhawaii.com/hanalei-bay-visitor-dies-while-saving-others/ Know your limits

[Naeco78]

Really sad to hear stories like that. I dont think i would try a rescue without some type of flotation with me. But surfers should have that part of it down. Plus they typically have the ocean knowledge of rips and strong swimmers.

Surfing is almost becoming like a prerequisite for lifeguarding nowadays. I was part of an ocean rescue class recently and they asked everyone to raise their hand if they surf. About 3/4 of the hands went up. Seemed like a pretty strong correlation.

But its always important to remember that one of the first things in emergency response is to make sure the scene is safe for you before trying to help. Definitely very important to know your limits, like OMS said.

[oldmansurfer]

Unfortunately people trying to save others from drowning who become the drowning victim is common. It's even sort of common to hear that the people/pets that they were trying to save survive while the rescuer drowns. Sometimes they all drown. I was bodysurfing at one very dangerous beach one day and unfortunately after I left a child got in trouble and their sibling tried to help, they both got caught in the serious rip current and the mother went to help and got caught and the father went to help and they all drowned. Unfortunately none of them recognized how dangerous the conditions were that day. Maybe I could have helped them if I was there but really the current was so bad I'm not sure I could have brought anyone in. Maybe I could have helped them get to the next beach over a couple of miles away. Not sure maybe I would have drowned trying. Not sure what I would have done if I was there when it happened.

[Naeco78]

Some water Kung Fu tips if youre on the wrong side of a panicked swimmer

Defensive Position and Escapes

[jaffa1949]

Wouldn‘t it be ideal if every surfer had good rescue knowledge, CPR and basic first aid.
I have been an advocate for this all my surfing life and have saved a number of people. Sometimes alone other times with like minded crew.
It is good to share in lifeguard and beach rescue courses.
Because I now mainly river surf , I learned about river lifeguard and river hazard courses

All because I would feel poorly if I didn‘t help and I also know enough to stay out of the way or offer assistance if the professionals are on the job!

Pays dividends when you are guy, in off the grid Indo or elsewhere!

I asked this before, how many of you are genuinely capable at rescue and first aid CPR?

[Naeco78]

I completely agree Jaffa. It would be nice if there were more crossover/rescue classes for the surf community in general. I think surfers have a very important skillset that can be really beneficial in ocean rescues. I dont think most people realize the difference between a good pool swimmer vs a good ocean swimmer, especially in rough surf. Plus we're usually the closest to respond if there's an emergency.

Re: your question to the group. I'm a p/t lifeguard. CPR & EMR certified

[Geezer]

Some water Kung Fu tips if youre on the wrong side of a panicked swimmer

Defensive Position and Escapes

Taking the peron under with you if you get grabbed is a solid method to break and as terrible as it may sound, a punch to the face is sobering.

In the end if someone does grab you it means you made a mistake. Don’t get in that situation unless you are schooled in how to break out of those mistakes.

[Naeco78]

Because I now mainly river surf , I learned about river lifeguard and river hazard courses

All because I would feel poorly if I didn‘t help and I also know enough to stay out of the way or offer assistance if the professionals are on the job!

Pays dividends when you are guy, in off the grid Indo or elsewhere!

Kudos for taking that on with river surfing. I've always wanted to surf a standing wave but havent had an opportunity yet. There must be a lot of differences / hazards to be aware of. I imagine it being kinda like one big rip current directly over a gnarly reef, all while dodging the occasional tree limb That would get the adrenaline going

[oldmansurfer]

when I took lifesaving lessons we were taught to dive under and come up behind them and gab them quick before they can grab you. Is this not taught an more? In all the times I have helped others the could talk to me before I do anything and I explained what I was going to do. If there was no answer diving under and grabbing them quick would be my choice but maybe there are problems with that ?

[Naeco78]

I think there's typically some type of flotation now, whenever possible. And always keeping the flotation device between you and the person in distress. Having that barrier/distance also allows you to use a Defensive Block (push flotation device into their midsection while pushing away) if they come at you aggressively. Could probably do something similar with boogie board/surfboard rail.

Defensive Block with Torpedo Buoy

[Geezer]

when I took lifesaving lessons we were taught to dive under and come up behind them and gab them quick before they can grab you. Is this not taught an more? In all the times I have helped others the could talk to me before I do anything and I explained what I was going to do. If there was no answer diving under and grabbing them quick would be my choice but maybe there are problems with that ?

Im nearly as old as you sonIndon’t kniw about “anymore” but I kearned the dive under, the dive where you grab the legs and spin the subject then come up on the back, learned the dive where you grab the legs and pull them under to stun and distract them and some others. Using the board and keeping it between the subject and you is the go.

[oldmansurfer]

It makes more sense now. I was drying off and getting ready to leave after a surf session a few years ago and there were a couple surfers in a car near me. One of them (maybe both of them) was a lifeguard. He told me there was a swimmer in trouble and I looked out and there were a bunch of guys on the shoreline with one guy in the ocean having trouble coming in in heavy shorebreak. I said "there's people helping already" and he responded "They aren't helping. He's been there for 5 minutes not progressing.. You should go help him." I answered "You guys saw him first. He's all yours." He answered "But you're wet already." Couldn't argue that so I headed out to help him but as I left the lifeguard said "You should take your surfboard or some flotation device". I didn't really want to have my surfboard in the heavy shorebreak but it might be all I need to save him so I grabbed it and headed toward him. As I arrived he started to make progress and made his way in. No help needed. But I realized I wasn't taught to use a flotation device when clearly that could be the difference

[Naeco78]

I'm kinda surprised the lifeguard didnt go in. Maybe they thought you were an off duty lifeguard also

I think that stuff is changing in a lot of areas. Some places now have volunteer rescue swimmers that are tied in with 911 dispatch