Effective life-saving skills for swimmers

By Kenneth Gardner

All of us will not have a lifeguard on duty when we go to swim or participate in recreational activities in the water this summer. However, for our safety and protection, some knowledge of a few simple rescue skills is necessary as we spend more time in the aquatic environment. We do not have to be swimmers to execute these rescue skills, however, they will enable us to rescue someone in difficulty.

Three simple rescue skills we can use are: reaching and assisting, throwing, and wading. These rescue skills will allow both the skilled lifeguards and novice swimmer to make an efficient rescue and minimise their personal danger.

In performing these skills, maintain visual contact with the individual while getting rescue equipment appropriate for the situation. Use any object around the swimming facility that will allow for quick and efficient rescue. When making the rescue, always guard your own safety. Establish a firm footing or hand grip and keep your body weight low and away from the individual. Establish communication with the individual by talking and encouraging him/her to help with the rescue.

REACHING AND ASSISTING

Reaching and assisting limits us to rescuing someone only a few feet away but it is very important in lifesaving. To reach and assist, get down as low as possible to maintain a stable position. Spread your legs apart to increase stability and extend your arm or object to the individual.

If you are at a pool, establish a firm grip on the ladder at the side of the pool and then extend your arm or leg to the victim. Grasp the individual before he/she grasps you, otherwise he/she may surprise you and pull you away from your anchor. Towels, clothing, branches, pieces of wood or any lightweight material poles can be used for a quick extension rescue.

Keep your body weight low and away from the victim. If the individual panics and does not grasp the object, keep the object within easy reach or slide it under the victim's armpit and press it against his side. After the victim grasps the object, pull it in slowly, hand over hand, so that you don't pull it out of the victim's grasp. Talk constantly to the individual as you pull him/her out of the water.

THROWING ASSISTS

If the distance to the struggling individual is beyond the range of an extension assist, a throwing assist may be the best option. Throw a floating board, etc., over the individual's head or upstream in a river and allow the river to carry it to the individual.

WADING ASSISTS

In a wading assist, proceed toward the individual until you reach chest-deep water. Then extend your rescue device to the individual. Shift your weight back from the individual so you are not pulled towards him/her when he/she grasps the object.

Once the individual has grasped the rescue device, walk towards the shore. Keep talking to the individual and encourage him/her until he/she is safely out of the water.

Dr Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at Holiday Hills ResearchCenter; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com