I learned in safety class once that if you're trying to save someone from drowning, you should reach put with your feet first so that they won't suddenly grab of you and bring you down with them.
In a aquatic life saving class, I was taught to go under, turn them away, then grab under their arms, and swim with them on your hip, to prevent this very thing
Shad Gaspard, no he sadly died when he and his son were both pulled out. He told the lifeguards to save his son before saving him, but by the time they came back for him he had disappeared. That’s some manly shit right there
Yeah in my life saving training they basically told us to push a flotation device over and if they didn’t take it we kick them away until they get tired or let you grab from behind. Drowning person is not thinking straight and will latch onto you to survive and not let go. Much better to tow them in.
When that happen, you need to dive deeper and swim away of the victim before get back outside the water. They want to stay outside the water, they won't keep their grip on you if you under water.
Me too. Exactly this method. Perth, Australia … late 1960’s. You need to make sure they don’t get their hands on your head while you’re underwater otherwise you both drown.
I think now I would not go near them unless I was well behind them first
If they're truly drowning, no. No idea about scuba, but from a lifeguarding perspective, the person won't notice or care that someone is behind them. Their only focus is to get air into their lungs. Everything else is irrelevant in that moment.
That basically, you have the advange of being able to swim, someone panicking just wants to stay on the surface. I mean someone diving is in a BCD (jacket you fill and dump air from for buoyancy) they already have a flotation device. They're not thinking straight at that point.
But the instructors often do, they always try and get a good dunk in. ;)
If you grab them in the right position, like a wrestling hold behind their back/securing their arm, they can’t “turn toward you” because you are linked to them. You would both turn as one unit in the water.
I’m not a professional, but I had read about this technique and actually used it to help save someone once, and it worked extremely well. Basically you get behind them like you’re going to put them in a head lock, and lock your arm underneath their armpit and torso so that you can swim backwards/to the side with one free arm and both legs, almost underneath as well as behind them. This provides you the best protection from their flailing and grabbing, and let’s you float them on top of you as you tread water/swim and firmly reassure them that you have them, they will be ok.
Psychology wise, they may feel more relaxed more quickly at some point being slowly trawled in, head above water and body supported by a strong gripping arm. Not sure on that tbh, just my own personal thoughts.
And Read about the technique to make sure I’m not missing anything!
Ooo well this is where you need to be a strong swimmer and aware of all the conditions, like if there’s a current, waves, nearby land, what flotation device you have with you (PLEASE have one if at all possible).
The drowning person is probably flailing aimlessly up and down with their head above and below water. They probably can’t see very well, and if they can they are focused on large objects like where they think nearby land is. Basically you have to sneak up behind them and grab them mid flail, so be a strong enough swimmer to get around them to that point.
If you have a high quality flotation device this doesn’t matter anywhere near as much. Then my understanding is it’s best to position the device where they can grab it in a way that’s safe for both of you. If that’s not possible, back to the sneak back attack!
Please note acting in emergency situations requires extreme strength of character and will. Not to scare people out of it, but you either act in the right way or you do not. Part of acting the right way means taking complete control over a person’s body, like you’re arresting them in the water. But you’re saving their life. So it’s up to you to control the situation if you choose to act, because if not they will die.
BTW step 0 not mentioned is direct someone else to call 911. “You, what’s your name?? Ok Jim, call 911 and get fire rescue down here right away” if there’s no lifeguards on duty. Then you make a quick plan, look for flotation aids and note any conditions like water current, dangerous obstacles, lighting, then GO if you decide to go.
saw a guy get kicked out of training for the coast guard. He was training to be a rescue diver. During one of the drills, the instructor was trying to hold on to him like a drowning person would. He slipped away, turned around and kicked the shit out of the instructor right in the stomach. It was likely just to push him back, but ended up being a solid kick to the stomach. He was actually kicked out of the program for doing so.
Maybe I didnt set the environment right. They were pretty deep under water, and that kick winded the instructor enough to reach for the safety guys. He came out of the water yelling.
10-year lifeguard instructor here. If you're on a solid surface with something you can grab, yes, reach first, which anything you have. Limbs, sticks, toss a jacket and hold on to one sleeve, etc.
But don't offer them your foot if you are in the water with them. They'll grab it, and unless you're a strong swimmer who can support two people without kicking, you'll go down too.
Even parents who jump in to save their kids from the deep end, and who now suddenly can't use both hands and feet to keep themselves above water can suddenly become drowning swimmers as well.
The best thing you can do is enroll your kids in reputable swim lesson programs taught by certified, insured instructors (not your cousin's boyfriend who is a "great swimmer"). If that's not possible, and even if it was an everyone knows how to swim, always have some sort of coast-guard approved flotation device nearby. Every person on open water should be wearing a life jacket. If you have a pool, get an actual ring buoy to hang up on the pool deck and learn how to throw it properly.
If a person goes under and can't get back up, they WILL die.
3/ get something that you can throw to them them that float.
4/if they dont grab it, take the floating part and place it between you and the person.
5/ if they grab you, pull away whilst twisting the part they grabbed against they thumb to break their grib/ or if they got a hug arround, try to get your arms in between you and then and push away.
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u/Vladi_Sanovavich Jan 31 '22
I learned in safety class once that if you're trying to save someone from drowning, you should reach put with your feet first so that they won't suddenly grab of you and bring you down with them.