In the UK, there are approximately 350 accidental deaths from drowning each year. Drowning is most common in males aged 20–30, and occurs mostly in inland waters (e.g. lakes, rivers) during summer months.
Resuscitation after water rescue:
.As soon as the casualty has been rescued from the water, check for a response by opening the airway and checking for signs of life. The drowning victim rescued from the water within a few minutes of submersion is likely to exhibit abnormal breathing. Do not confuse this with normal breathing.
.Ask someone to call 999 or 112 for medical help.
.If the person is unresponsive and not breathing, give them five initial rescue breaths and then start Chest Compression(CPR).
.If the victim has not responded to initial ventilation, place them on a firm surface before starting chest compressions.
Then start CPR: 30 chest compressions, then two rescue breaths. Keep giving CPR until help arrives, the casualty regains responsiveness, or you’re too exhausted to keep going.
.If they start breathing again at any time, treat them for hypothermia (as hypothermia is common after drowning) by covering them with warm clothes and blankets. If they recover completely, replace their wet clothes with dry ones.
.
Keep checking breathing, pulse and level of responsiveness until help arrives.