Treatment Protocol For Victims Of Drowning

Drowning is a worldwide problem owing to the huge numbers of people working waterways, and using them for recreation. Many who work near water do not know how to swim, and can suffer from the force of nature. A rescue effort has to be carefully planned to avoid further casualties. First aiders should predominantly be ready to assist in the resuscitation effort once the casualty has been rescued.

So if you are going to help someone the golden rule is not to become a casualty yourself. People who are drowning will quite often pull a rescuer down in order to help themselves float. It's not an aggressive reaction, but more so a last ditch panicky attempt to survive. Before going in it's essential to look around and see if there are any tools that can help in the rescue. A floating wheel on the edge of a lake is there for a reason, and often can prove the difference between life and death.

There are two main ways someone can drown. Wet drowning occurs when the airway relaxes and allows water to enter the lungs. This is initially prevented as the wind pipe seals itself off to stop water entering the lungs. The reflex only holds out for so long, but by this stage the brain has already been starved of oxygen. If someone is found during any stage of this process they will need an immediate breathing check followed by the likelihood of CPR.

In certain cases the larynx remains closed, blocking the airway. This happens when extreme fear takes over after someone finds themselves out of their depth or having fallen into deep water. This is known as dry drowning. Once again it's a case when the vital organs are starved of oxygen due to the point when the circulatory system will collapse. If a person is dragged from the water and is showing no signs of breathing they will benefit from CPR whilst awaiting the arrival of the emergency services.

Once a non-breathing casualty has been dragged to safety their only real chance of survival lies in the successful application of CPR. This can either be done by the rescuer, first responder or as a team. Time is already running out for the casualty as their body has been starved of oxygen during the drowning process. The process should start with a call to the emergency services, and then followed by five initial breaths, and thirty chest compressions. This is then modified to a cycle of two rescue breaths followed by thirty chest compressions until the arrival of the paramedics. It sounds daunting, but it is only just two moves repeated over and over again.

A recent incident in the news saw Jack Osbourne come to the rescue of someone who was drowning on a beach. Jack and his friend were not involved in the rescue, but they offered their help when they saw a lifeless body on the beach. Others also came to the assistance, and they worked as a team, efficiently giving CPR until the arrival of the paramedics. Without CPR the lady would have almost certainly died, which shows that the open water rescue is only a small part of helping someone who is drowning.

Comments? Questions? Email Here

© HowtoAdvice.com