Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Reaching and
Moving Victims in the Water

Introduction
 Water provides people with some of the most enjoyable

recreational activities, but water can be dangerous.
 Drowning is death by suffocation in water.
 Drownings may occur during swimming, boating, hunting,
fishing or while taking a bath.
AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

3 Copyright © 2005 by The American National Red Cross
All rights reserved.
The Risk of Drowning
 Children younger than age 5 and young adults ages 15 to 24

have the highest rates of drowning.
 Most young children who drown do so in home pools.

Preventing Aquatic Emergencies
 The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in, on and around
the water is to learn to swim.
 The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people
of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swimming
course, contact a local Red Cross chapter.

(continued)
 Follow these guidelines whenever you are swimming in any body

of water (pool, lakes, ponds, quarries, canals, rivers or oceans):
 Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone.
 Read and obey all rules and posted signs.
 Swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard.
 Children or inexperienced swimmers should take extra
precautions, such as wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved
life jacket when around the water.

(continued)
 Watch out for the “dangerous too’s”:

 Too tired
 Too cold
 Too far away from safety
 Too much sun
 Too much strenuous activity
 Be knowledgeable of the water environment and the potential
hazards.
 Know how to prevent, recognize and respond to emergencies.

(continued)
 Use a feet-first entry when entering the water.

 Enter head-first only when the area is clearly marked for
diving and has no obstruction.
 Do not mix alcohol with swimming, diving or boating.

Recognizing an Emergency
 An emergency can happen to anyone in, on or around

the water.
 The key to recognizing an emergency is staying alert
and knowing the signals that indicate an emergency is
happening.

 There are two kinds of water emergency situations:

 A swimmer in distress
 A drowning victim
 A distressed swimmer may be too tired to get to the shore or the
side of the pool but is able to stay afloat and breathe and may be
calling for help. (can become a drowning victim)
 An active drowning victim is vertical in the water but unable to
move forward or tread water. The victim is struggling to keep
his or her head above water to breathe.
 A passive drowning victim is not moving and will be floating
face-down on the bottom or near the surface of the water.

(continued)
 Once you know there is an emergency, you must decide to act

and decide how to act.
 Follow the emergency action steps: CHECK—CALL—CARE.
 Make sure the scene is safe—do not go rushing into a dangerous
situation where you too may become a victim.

(continued)
 Always check first to see whether a lifeguard or other

trained professional is present.
 If you must assist someone who is having trouble in the
water, you must have the appropriate equipment.
 Send someone else to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency
number.

Out-of-Water Assists
 You can help a person in trouble in the water by using

reaching assists or throwing assists.
 Out-of-water assists are safer for you.
 Start the rescue by talking to the victim.
 Let the victim know help is coming.
 Tell the victim what you want him or her to do to help with
the rescue.

Reaching Assists
 If the victim is close enough, you can use a reaching assist

to help him or her out of the water.
 If available, use any object that will extend your reach,
such as a pole, an oar or paddle, a tree branch, a shirt, a
belt or a towel.

Reaching Assists
(continued)
 If there is equipment available—

1. Brace yourself on a pool deck, pier surface or shoreline.
2. Extend the object to the victim.
3. When the victim grasps the object, slowly and carefully
pull him or her to safety. Keep your body low and lean
back to avoid being pulled into the water.

Reaching Assists
(continued)
 If you have no equipment available to perform a reaching

assist, you should—
1. Brace yourself on the pool deck or pier surface.
2. Reach with one arm and grasp the victim.
3. Pull the victim to safety.
 If you are already in the water—
1. Hold onto the pool ladder, overflow trough, piling or
some other secure object with one hand.
2. Extend your free hand or one of your legs to the victim.
Do not let go of the secure object and do not swim out
into the water.
3. Pull the victim to safety.

Throwing Assists
 You can rescue a conscious victim out of reach by using a throwing
assist. Use anything that will provide the victim support.

Throwing Assists
(continued)
 A floating object with a line attached can be used to throw to

the victim and pull him or her to safety.
 To perform a throwing assist, follow these guidelines:
1. Get into a stride position.
2. Step on your end of the line with your forward foot.
3. Shout to get the victim’s attention.
4. Bend your knees and throw the object to the victim.
5. When the victim has grasped the object or the line, slowly
pull him or her to safety.
6. If the object does not reach the victim, quickly pull the
line back in and throw again.

Wading Assist with Equipment
 To perform a wading assist, follow these steps:
1. Take a buoyant device with you.
2. Wade into the water and extend the object to the victim.
3. When the victim has grasped the object, tell him or her to
hold onto the object tightly for support and pull him or her
to safety.
 A victim who has been lying motionless and face-down in the
water for several seconds is probably unconscious.
1. If the water is not over one’s chest, wade into the water
carefully with some kind of flotation equipment and turn
the person face-up.
2. Bring him or her to the side of the pool or shoreline.
3. Remove the victim from the water.
4. Give care if needed.
Wading Assist with Equipment
(continued)
 If a victim is discovered on or near the bottom of the pool in

deep water, call for trained help immediately.
 If in shallow water less than chest deep and a head, neck or
back injury is not suspected—
1. Reach down and grasp the victim.
2. Pull the victim to the surface.
3. Turn the victim face-up and bring him or her to safety.
4. Remove the victim from the water.
5. Give care if needed.

Walking Assist
 If the victim is in shallow water where he or she can stand,

he or she may be able to walk out of the water with some
support.
 To perform a walking assist, follow these guidelines:
1. Place one of the victim’s arms around your neck and
over your shoulder.
2. Grasp the wrists of the arm that is over your shoulder
and wrap your free arm around the victim’s back or
waist.
3. Maintain a firm grasp and help the victim walk out of
the water.

Beach Drag
 You may use the beach drag with a victim in shallow water
on a sloping shore or beach. This method works well with a
heavy or unconscious victim.
 To perform the beach drag—
1. Stand behind the victim and grasp him or her under the
armpits. Support the victim’s head with your forearms.
2. While walking backward slowly, drag the victim toward
the shore.
3. Remove the victim completely from the water or at least
get the victim’s head and shoulders out of the water.

Head, Neck, or Back Injury Management
in the Water
 Most injuries to the head, neck or back occur in shallow water.

 These injuries may result from diving into shallow water, diving
into above-ground pools and unsupervised diving from starting
blocks.
 Injuries can also result from head-first entry into the surf at a
beach, off a pier at a lake or from a cliff into a water-filled
quarry or from falling while surfing or boogie boarding.

Recognizing a Head, Neck or Back Injury
 Usually a head, neck or back injury is caused by hitting the

bottom or an object in the water.

Recognizing a Head, Neck or Back Injury
(continued)
 Your major concern is to—

 Keep the victim’s face out of the water to let him or her
breathe.
 Prevent the victim’s head and back from moving further.
 Move the victim to safety.
 Always check first whether a lifeguard or other trained
professional is present.

General Guidelines for Care
 Follow these guidelines for a victim with a suspected head,

neck or back injury in shallow water:
1. Be sure someone has called 9-1-1 or the local
emergency number.
2. Minimize movement of the victim’s head, neck and
back.
• Try to keep the victim’s head in line with the body.
• This technique is called in-line stabilization.
• Do this without pulling the head.

General Guidelines for Care
(continued)
3. Position the victim face-up at the surface of the water.

4. Check for consciousness and breathing once you have
stabilized the victim’s head, neck and back using the in-
line stabilization technique.
• A victim who can talk or is gasping for air is conscious
and breathing.
3. Support the victim with his or her head, neck and back
immobilized until help arrives.

Specific Immobilization Techniques
 The following sections describe two methods for stabilizing the

victim’s head, neck and back in the water.

(continued)
 Two methods for immobilizing a head, neck or back injury

are the hip shoulder support or the head splint technique.
 To perform the hip and shoulder support—
1. Approach the victim from the side and lower yourself
to chest depth.
2. Slide one arm under the victim’s shoulders and the
other arm under the hip bones. Support the victim
horizontally, keeping the face clear of the water.
3. Do not lift the victim, but support him or her in the
water until help arrives.

(continued)
 To perform the head splint technique—

1. Approach the victim from the side.
2. Gently move the victim’s arms up alongside the head by
grasping the victim’s arms midway between the shoulder
and elbow.
• Grasp the victim’s right arm with your right hand.
• Grasp the victim’s left arm with your left hand.
1. Squeeze the victim’s arms against his or her head. This
helps to keep the head in line with the body.

(continued)
(Head splint technique continued)
4. With your body at about shoulder depth in the water, glide the victim
slowly forward.
5. Continue moving slowly and rotate the victim toward you until he or
she is face-up.
6. Position the victim’s head in the crook of your arm with the head in
line with the rest of the body.
7. Maintain this position in the water until help arrives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Y1nU73KcQ&feature=related

Helping Someone Who Has Fallen Through Ice
 If a person falls through ice, never go out onto the ice yourself to
attempt a rescue.

Helping Someone Who Has Fallen Through Ice
(continued)
 Follow these guidelines:

1. Send someone to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number
immediately.
2. From a secure place on land, try a reaching or throwing
assist.
3. If it is possible to do so safely, pull the victim to shore. If it is
not, talk to the victim and make sure he or she is secure as
possible with the object until help arrives.

Closing
 Many drownings can be prevented by following simple

precautions when in, on or around water.
 Use the basic methods of reaching, throwing or wading to
reach or assist a victim in the water without endangering
yourself. Always remember to stay safe.
 If there is any chance that you cannot safely and easily help
the victim in trouble, call for professional assistance.


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Chapter 20: Reaching and

Moving Victims in the Water

 Water provides people with some of the most enjoyable

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Children younger than age 5 and young adults ages 15 to 24

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Follow these guidelines whenever you are swimming in any body

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Watch out for the “dangerous too’s”:

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Use a feet-first entry when entering the water.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 An emergency can happen to anyone in, on or around

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 There are two kinds of water emergency situations:

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Once you know there is an emergency, you must decide to act

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Always check first to see whether a lifeguard or other

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 You can help a person in trouble in the water by using

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 If the victim is close enough, you can use a reaching assist

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 If there is equipment available—

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 If you have no equipment available to perform a reaching

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 A floating object with a line attached can be used to throw to

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 If a victim is discovered on or near the bottom of the pool in

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 If the victim is in shallow water where he or she can stand,

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Most injuries to the head, neck or back occur in shallow water.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Usually a head, neck or back injury is caused by hitting the

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Your major concern is to—

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Follow these guidelines for a victim with a suspected head,

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

3. Position the victim face-up at the surface of the water.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 The following sections describe two methods for stabilizing the

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Two methods for immobilizing a head, neck or back injury

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 To perform the head splint technique—

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

(Head splint technique continued)

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Follow these guidelines:

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Many drownings can be prevented by following simple

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

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