Boating

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RESCUING DIVERS AND SWIMMERS

Use this information only to supplement skills and knowledge obtained in a formal training course. Do not attempt to rescue injured or distressed divers or swimmers or provide emergency oxygen without formal training.

PERFORMING A WATER RESCUE

Early recognition and response are critical to a successful outcome in any water rescue. The following are the recommended procedures for making a rescue.

• Ensure your own safety and the safety of the injured swimmer or diver.

Be aware of high-risk conditions such as strong currents or tides, limited visibility and hazardous marine life. • Provide assistance from the surface or shore without entering the water if possible. Try throwing the victim a line, a flotation device or even a small watercraft—all of these items are safer for the rescuer than attempting an in-water rescue. • Rescues that require in-water assistance can be complicated and typically require knowledge and skills beyond the scope of this guide. The following points, however, highlight a few fundamentals of in-water rescues. — Solicit topside assistance from observers. • Enlist bystanders to help spot and track the victim’s position. • Summon help from emergency medical services or the coast guard.

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— Equip the rescuer with appropriate personal safety equipment such as fins, a mask, a snorkel and floatation gear. A rescuer needs to be properly equipped to safely and effectively perform a rescue. — Assess the distressed swimmer, and communicate with them if possible; this will dictate the following: • the rescuer’s manner of approaching the swimmer • the need for physical contact with the swimmer — Gain control of the situation through verbal communication and/or physical contact with the swimmer. • Avoid unnecessary physical contact with the swimmer. If they can understand and follow commands, it is sometimes possible to talk someone through a self-rescue. • Remember that making physical contact with a panic-stricken diver or swimmer can put the rescuer at significant risk. — Establish positive buoyancy. • Remove any weight belts and/or drop any heavy loads. • Inflate both the rescuer’s and the distressed diver’s buoyancy compensators. — Transfer the swimmer or diver to a boat or the shore while ensuring the following: • the airway is protected • everyone maintains positive buoyancy • the rescuer remains in control • topside support is ready to assist as necessary — Begin CPR and rescue breathing, if necessary, as soon as the victim is on a stable surface. Administering CPR in the water is ineffective and will only delay the victim’s extrication from the water.

In general, safe and effective in-water rescues require a degree of skill that can be achieved only through proper training. Numerous organizations offer such courses.