Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for is rarely seen in real life.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

-Head low in the water, mouth at water level
-Head tilted back with mouth open
-Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
-Eyes closed
-Hair over forehead or eyes
-Not using legs—vertical
-Hyperventilating or gasping
-Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
-Trying to roll over on the back
-Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder



This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble—they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the Instinctive Drowning Response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long—but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.

“Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled before speech occurs.


Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.


Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.


Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.

From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.”


How To Rescue a Drowning Victim
Stay Safe. Wear a personal flotation device if available. The most important thing to remember is not to become a victim yourself.


- If the victim is conscious, try to reach the victim with something rigid enough to pull him or her back. An oar is a good option.

- If nothing will reach, throw the victim a rope and encourage him or her to grab on. A life-preserver with a rope attached is a very good option.

- If the victim is too far for a rope, then there are few additional options for untrained rescuers. If enough people are available, try making a chain by holding hands out to the victim. A rescuer may try swimming out to the victim, but follow these steps:

-Tie a rope around the rescuer's waist before heading out to the victim and have someone on shore or on a nearby boat holding the rope.

-Take a pole, oar, rope, or other object to reach the victim. Rescuers should not attempt to directly touch a panicking drowning victim.

- If the victim is unconscious, take a boat to the victim or tie a rope around the rescuer's waist and let the rescuer pull the victim to shore.

- Once a drowning victim is safely out of the water, perform basic first aid. In cold weather, remove the victim's wet clothing - all the way. Cover the victim with a blanket and watch for symptoms of hypothermia. If the victim is not breathing, begin CPR.



Warnings
If you cannot swim, do not enter the water. Instead, there are alternative methods to rescue the victim. You can reach to them with a long pole, throw them a rope, or if some sort of boat is available, row out to them.

Only enter the water if there is nothing around that could be used to reach the victim. Being in the water with someone in a panicked state, like a drowning victim, can be fatal to both the rescuer and the drowning victim.

Do not attempt a reaching assist from a standing position or you may be pulled into the water.

If the victim is panicking, it may be safest to take a hold of him/her from behind. If you try to take hold from the front, he/she may, in panic, grab onto you too tightly, thus pulling both of you under.

mukina2: -Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder

This step alone should be enough in recognizing a person drowning ...
The person will have time die if you take time to see if he fulfill all the other requirement...

Afrocatalyst: If the wil is there,any adult can actually help a drowning person. Instinct to save a loved one is powerful. Experience things.

Ibime: A drowning man will take you down with him if you approach him from the front.

1995 I was playing with friends in Ipukulu branch of Amadi Creek when ma mate NGO started drowning after stepping across a dredged section of the river and being swept out by waves from a flying boat. I tried approach him from the back to put him in a half-nelson and swim us to land but somehow the ninja grabbed me in a state of panic and started using my body as leverage to keep his head above water. The net effect was me cycling my feet underwater with my head below water whilst he was climbed over me, enjoying the fresh air whilst I was the one now in trouble. Realising I was drowning, I started punching him and trying to throw him off me and subdue him. Just when ma energy was draining I managed to fling him off and grab hold of him from his back, quickly levered my arm under his armpit, put him in half-nelson and swam him to shore. Since that day, I promised to be extra careful when approaching any drowning person in the water.

mukina2:
Make
sure 911 has been called.

ochukwuma15: 'I can't swim, i can't swim'. The write up is not only applicable to river (water) drowning.

Of course, there are other types and forms of drowning too numerous to mention.

There are spiritual drowning, educational drowning, relationship drowning, mental/intellectual drowning, to mention but a few.

When a man sends his wife to Port Harcourt to be causing problem here and there, when he knows that his wife is handicapped with expressing herself in English language, is that not a political drowning.

To the poster: Thanks so much for the write up. Reminds me of my friend that drowned in 2005.
May your gentle soul rest in peace, genevieve. I love you so much, but God loves you more.

*wipe tears from my eyes*
I know you're waiting for me at the gates of Heaven.

- Chuks writes from Enugu, Nigeria

siddiq202: These signs can not be totally correct because I remember when something near drowning happened to me. I was in another world.

lawizle:

Share experience..it will be better received from your tongue.

190: ive rescued 3 people so far from drowing between 1999 and 2012

2 guys and a lady

i ended up dating the lady after she appericiated my gesture

she dumped her boyfriend for me and we had a smooth affair till i later ran away after some nyashing