Water-Related Emergencies Jack Brennan & AJ Berg

 Occurs when a person experiences respiratory impairment due to submersion in water  5 th most common cause of death from unintentional injury  Brain damage or death can occur in as little as 4 to 6 minutes when the body is deprived of oxygen

 Young children left alone around water  Use of alcohol/drugs  Traumatic injury  Certain conditions/disabilities  History of mental illness

 Most victims have no energy to call for help  Distressed swimmer: able to stay afloat and breathe, but too tried to get to shore.  Drowning victim: could be at the surface of water or sinking. All energy is going into the struggle to breathe.

 Consider your own safety  Look for a lifeguard first  No lifeguard? Make sure you have proper equipment  Call immediately for help if equipment is not available  Never swim out to a person without training and equipment

 Is the person responsive, injured, or submerged? Are they alone?  Water clarity, temperature, and flow.  How deep is the water?  Is there anyone around to assist in rescue or care on dry land?  Do you have proper training, skills and equipment for a rescue attempt?

 If possible, stay out of the water. Let the person know help is coming.  If the person is close enough, use a reaching assist to help them out of the water (pole, tree branch, etc.)  If not, throw a floating object with a line attached (throwing assist)  If you know the water is safe & shallow, perform a wading assist.

 If a trained responder is not on the scene, call 911.  Use head splint technique on a face-down person to remove them from the water (approach from side, squeeze person’s arms against the head, and glide the person to safety)  If there is breathing, and you suspect injury, hold person face up in water until help arrives  Unconscious? Ensure the person is fully out of the water and lying down face up and begin CPR

 Do not go on to the ice to attempt a rescue  Call 911  Attempt to rescue person using reaching and throwing assists  If you are able to pull person from the water, provide care for hypothermia

 VAsA VAsA

 It’s a warm summer’s eve, sweaty individuals are involved. Eugene Robinson is a pasty white male, who is eleven years old, almost twelve. Eugene is out for a lonely dip in the public pool within its hours of close. When Eugene arrives at the pool, he realizes he forgot his floaties at home, “Darn it!” he mutters, “I would’ve remembered them but mom made me put away my toys!” Oh well, Eugene has to man up & face the facts. Eugene lays his eyes on the lifeguard that he hopes and dreams he will someday be with. She refuses me putting her actual name in this scenario so, we’ll just call her The Lifeguard. Eugene will claim her as his one and only. Eugene then sees his arch nemesis, Dusty Nickerson, hitting on The Lifeguard. “DUSTY!!!!! Get away from MY woman!” he screams with the utmost hysteria. In all of the raving and raging he does not realize that he is running into the deep end of the pool. “NOOO!!!!!!” The Lifeguard cries as she throws Dusty aside and as she dives into the pool after Eugene. Eugene is flapping around, trying to call for help, yet he is just below the waterline. ******pause & ask the audience what you’re supposed to do during this situation****** Dusty is laughing at Eugene because he is helpless and wet, but deep inside Dusty feels bad for Eugene. The Lifeguard is swimming rapidly to Eugene’s aid. The pool is pretty big though. Eugene becomes unconscious the second when The Lifeguard grabs him to bring him up to the surface. The Lifeguard uses a head splint technique to glide him out of the water. She takes him out of the water & begins CPR. Suction Cup Lips, pumps relentlessly, saves Eugene’s life. *******10 YEARS LATER****** Eugene and The Lifeguard (who refuses to be named) lives happily ever after.  Written by AJ Berg

 1. When the brain is deprived of oxygen, damage can be done within ____ to ___ minutes  2. What is a contributing factor to drowning?  3. What is the difference between a distressed swimmer and a drowning victim?  4. Before helping a drowning victim, consider your own ______ first  5. List three methods of rescue that do not involve entering the water