PHOENIX — It's a situation we never hope to be in. If you're around a body of water and see a person struggling to stay above water, what do you do?
Drowning incidents are scary and dangerous situations, but there are things you need to be aware of if you ever encounter a drowning.
And this occurrence is more prominent than you think. According to the Centers for Disease Control, every year America loses 800 to 900 children to drowning.
It's a sobering stat that hopefully with these tips and recommendations can shrink in the future.
Life and death in a drowning situation could be determined by how fast someone gets to the drowning person and gets them breathing. If you locate the person floating in a body of water, it's vital that you act quickly. According to officials, a child can drown in 25 seconds.
Once you get to the person, call loudly for help while you are getting them out of the water. If someone responds, have them call 911. If you are alone, call 911 only when the person is breathing. Be sure to give the location where you are and take instructions from the operator on further CPR, if needed.
Don't forget to check the ABC's of drowning
- Airway
- Breathing
- Circulation
If the person is not breathing on their own, begin CPR immediately. If they vomit during CPR, it's more than likely to be water the victim swallowed.
It's also you stay calm during the situation and control your own breathing as you get the victim to calm down and breath properly. Experts said if a victim was submerged under water, they should be given a medical exam, even if they feel fine.
After a submersion or near drowning, you also should watch for dry drownings and secondary or delayed drownings.
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Drowning Prevention Tips:
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between ages 1-4 aside from birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three children die every day as a result of drowning. Here are some tips from the CDC on how to protect children around water:
Learn life-saving skills.
Everyone should know the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and CPR.
Fence it off.
Install a four–sided isolation fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools. This can help keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should be completely separate the house and play area from the pool.
Life jackets are a must.
Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean, even if they know how to swim. Life jackets can be used in and around pools for weaker swimmers too.
Keep a close watch
When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading books, talking on the phone, or using alcohol and drugs.
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