When someone is in trouble in the water, there are a number of steps which need to be followed in order to ensure your safety as well as theirs. The method used is the DRSABCD. 1. Check the scene for immediate danger: Make sure you're not putting yourself in harm's way by administering CPR to someone unconscious. Is there a fire? Is the person lying on a roadway? Do whatever is necessary to move yourself and the other person to safety.
2. Assess the victim's consciousness. You need to follow the simple acronym: C - "Can you hear me?" O - "Open your eyes" W - "What's your name?" S - 'Squeeze my hand" Doing 'COWS' is an easy and effective way to assess the victims consciousness. When asking the questions, make sure you say them in a loud and clear voice. Also give the victim a gentle shake. If they respond, then CPR is not required. Instead undertake basic first aid and take measure to prevent or treat shock, and assess whether you need to contact emergency services. BUT - If the victim does not respond, then continue following the steps: 3. SEND FOR HELP! And do not bother checking for a pulse unless you are a trained professional as it wastes valuable time that could be spent doing compressions. 4. Airways. Airways could be blocked up by anything, vomit, water, even their own tongue! This step is very important because not doing it can stop the victims breathing. To do this, you need to put your victim into the 'recovery position'. You take one arm and cross it over their body, you then take one of their legs and bend it, then slowly turn the body over to have it sit in a stable position, you also tilt the head back so that there is a clear path for the liquids to exit the mouth, as it is now on a downward angle. You then 5. Check for breathing. Put your ear close to the victim's nose and mouth, and listen for slight breathing. If the victim is coughing or breathing normally, do not perform CPR. Doing so could cause the heart to stop beating. 6. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation Go see the CPR page for information. 7. Defibrillator Using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on a casualty who has experienced a cardiac arrest is vital to their survival. An AED delivers measured electric shocks to attempt to restore the heart to a normal effective rhythm. Each minute that passes before an AED is used decreases a casualty's chance of survival. |
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