Drowning is a common accidental injury, and if emergency care is not provided in a timely manner, it may lead to serious consequences, even death. Therefore, it is very important to understand how to provide emergency care for drowning victims. This article will introduce how to provide emergency care for drowning victims.
1. Immediately call the emergency number
When we discover someone drowning, our first reaction is likely to be to jump into the water immediately to rescue them. However, this is not the best approach. The correct approach is to immediately call the emergency number and seek help from professional rescue personnel. Because drowning is a very dangerous situation that can lead to suffocation, cardiac arrest, and death, even if a person appears to be struggling in the water, they may have lost consciousness and require emergency treatment. If we have not received professional rescue training, we may also be in danger when attempting to rescue drowning victims. Calling an emergency number can provide drowning victims with professional rescue support. Emergency rescue personnel are equipped with professional equipment and training, capable of quickly and safely rescuing drowning victims from the water and carrying out necessary first aid measures. If we try to rescue ourselves, we may not be able to provide sufficient first aid and treatment, leading to more serious consequences. Therefore, if someone is found drowning, they should immediately call the local emergency number (such as 120, 110, 119, etc.) and call for an ambulance. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, preliminary emergency care can begin.
2. Rescue the drowning person from the water
Firstly, evaluate the situation of the drowning person and the surrounding environment, observe whether the drowning person is still struggling or has stopped moving. If the drowning person has stopped struggling, they should be rescued as soon as possible, as this means they may have lost consciousness. If the drowning person has not lost consciousness, try to use life-saving equipment such as lifebuoys, floating boards, ropes, etc. to pull the drowning person back to the shore as much as possible. If these devices are not available, a long object such as a tree branch or rope can be found and thrown to the drowning person for them to grab and forcefully drag back to the shore. When drowning victims are dragged back to the shore, have them lie flat on the ground with their heads slightly below their bodies to facilitate drainage.
3. Checking respiration and heartbeat
Checking the respiration and heartbeat of drowning victims is a very important step in first aid, which can timely detect and deal with problems, providing better treatment and survival opportunities for drowning victims. The first step is to check if the drowning person is conscious, gently shake their shoulders, call out their names loudly, and see if there is any response. If the drowning person does not respond, immediately call the ambulance. The second step is to check the drowning person's breathing by placing their ears close to their mouth and nose to hear if there is any breathing sound. If there is no breathing sound, the drowning person needs to be placed on a flat ground, their chin lifted to clear their airway, and then artificial respiration is performed. Step three, check the drowning person's heartbeat. In the center of the chest, press with the index and middle fingers of the other hand to feel if there is a heartbeat. If there is no heartbeat, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is required.
4. Clearing oral and nasal secretions
Drowning victims are unable to breathe in water and are prone to accumulating large amounts of secretions in their mouth and nose. If not cleared in a timely manner, it may lead to respiratory obstruction and endanger their lives. Therefore, quickly clearing oral and nasal secretions is a key step in emergency procedures. The correct method for removing oral and nasal secretions is to immediately place the drowning victim flat on a hard surface after rescuing them from the water, with the head slightly tilted back to facilitate the natural flow of secretions. Pinch the drowning person's nose with one hand and lift their chin with the other hand to clear their airway. Observe whether the chest of the drowning person is undulating and listen for breathing sounds. If there is no breathing or heartbeat, immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed. After the drowning person recovers breathing, wipe the secretions around the mouth and nose with a towel or clothing.
5. Perform artificial respiration
If the drowning person is not breathing, artificial respiration should be performed. The correct method of artificial respiration is to place the drowning person on a hard ground, slightly tilt their head back, pinch their chin with one hand, and pinch their nose with the other hand. The rescuer takes a deep breath, completely covering the patient's mouth with their mouth, and performs two artificial breaths, each lasting about 1 second. Observe whether the patient's chest rises, if so, it indicates that gas has entered the lungs. Between artificial inhalation, touch the patient's carotid artery with the index and middle fingers to check if the patient has a heartbeat. If there is no heartbeat, chest compressions are required.
6. Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation
If the drowning victim does not have a heartbeat, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed. Place the drowning victim on a hard surface, tilt their head slightly back, pinch their chin with one hand, pinch their nose with the other hand, and then press down on their sternum with the other hand. The pressing frequency should be about 100 times per minute, and the depth should be about 5 centimeters. 30 compressions should be performed, followed by 2 artificial breaths, and this process should be repeated until the ambulance arrives at the scene.
The above are the methods for providing emergency care to drowning victims, hoping to be helpful to you. Finally, I would like to remind you once again that in the event of a drowning accident, it is important to call the emergency number as soon as possible and provide timely emergency care to save the life of the drowning victim.