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When All Else Fails . . . .
Would You Know What To Do?
Know how to tell if a swimmer is in distress or is drowning – they need immediate help!
- A swimmer in distress may still try to swim but makes little or no forward progress, and soon become a drowning victim
- An active drowning victim may be:
- Vertical in the water, but unable to move forward or tread water.
- Pressing down with their arms at the side to attempt to push the head above the water
- An inactive drowning victim is motionless on the surface or bottom of the water.
Responding to a Drowning
- If a child is missing, check the water first
- If you are alone with the victim
Immediately remove the victim from the water - If someone is nearby, yell for help to call 9-1-1 while you remove the victim from the water and begin CPR with rescue breaths
- If you are alone, and the victim is a child, and you know CPR with rescue breaths, begin CPR for 2 minutes, then call 9-1-1
- If you do not know CPR, call 9-1-1 and they will instruct you once they dispatch EMS
Adult CPR
(13 years and older)
Hand Position – Two hands in center of chest (on lower half of sternum)
Chest Compressions – At least 2 inches
Rescue Breaths – Until the chest clearly rises (about 1 second per breath)
Cycle – 30 compressions and 2 rescue breaths
Rate – 30 chest compressions in about 18 seconds – (at least 100 compressions per minute)
Child CPR
(1 to 12 years old)
Hand Position – Two hands in center of chest (on lower half of sternum)
Chest Compressions – About 2 inches
Rescue Breaths – Until the chest clearly rises (about 1 second per breath)
Cycle – 30 compressions and 2 rescue breaths
Rate – 30 chest compressions in about 18 seconds (at least 100 compressions per minute)
Infant CPR
(younger than 12 months)
Hand Position – Two or three fingers in center of chest
(on lower half of sternum, just below nipple line)
Chest Compressions – About 1 ½ inches
Rescue Breaths – Until the chest clearly rises (about 1 second per breath)
Cycle – 30 compressions and 2 rescue breaths
Rate – 30 chest compressions in about 18 seconds (at least 100 compressions per minute)