Swimming in the pool, sea, or other waters, it feels good. However, anyone can drown if they don't understand good swimming techniques. Therefore, it is important to always be alert and understand how to help drowning people properly.
Drowning is a condition in which a person is unable to keep the mouth above the water to breathe. At the time of drowning, water will enter the respiratory tract so that it closes the airway and the victim may experience a decrease in consciousness until unconscious.
Method Helping People from Drowning Appropriately
- Immediately ask for helpThe first step to helping a drowning person is to scream to get the attention of others around you. Regardless of whether you can help directly or indirectly, there is nothing wrong with asking people for help to make it easier to help victims. You can also ask for help contacting emergency services, the coast guard or rescue team.
- Find a tool that can helpDon't panic when you see a drowning victim. Look around for tools that can help. If the victim is not too far away, try calling and calming him down. Then, if you can, try grabbing the victim's hand or using a rope and other assistive device. Most importantly, try to get the victim out of the water.
- Help with adequate equipmentHow to help a drowning person by approaching him, can only be done by trained personnel or people who have sufficient swimming skills. In addition, it is important to carry adequate equipment when providing assistance. Don't let yourself become a victim because you are negligent in providing help.
- Giving help respirationcarefullyWhen the drowning victim is successfully brought ashore, immediately lay down. If the victim is not breathing, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or cardiopulmonary resuscitation by pressing the palms of the hands on the center of the chest parallel to the nipples. If necessary, you can help with pressing using two overlapping hands. Gently press down to a depth of about 5 cm, 30 times at an average rate of about 100 pressures per minute. In other words, pressing 30 times in about 20 seconds. Make sure the chest returns to its original position before pressing it again. Then check if the victim is breathing.
If the victim is still not breathing after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, try to open the airway by tilting the victim's head and lifting the chin. However, be careful when holding the victim's neck, because there is a possibility of injury to the neck or spine. Pinch the victim's nose, then blow air into the victim's mouth. Blow twice in one second.
After that, try to see if the chest expands when the air is blown. Then return to the procedure of pressing the chest 30 times. Do it alternately before emergency help arrives.
The important thing to remember when helping a drowning person is to stay calm. Avoid hasty actions that could harm you. Then, immediately contact the emergency services that provide expert help.
