What To Do If Someone Is In The Water
What should you do if someone is in the water?
Not everyone in the water is in difficulty. You need to find out if they need help or not. People’s reactions will differ from person to person. One thing for sure is when someone in difficulty in the water it doesn’t happen like it does in the films. Different swimmer responses.
Silent drowning
Not everyone is able to shout for help and may slip under quietly.
Injured
May have injured limbs and struggle to hold onto rescue equipment or float.
Panicked
May not respond due to cold water shock.
Unconscious
Swimmer may be face down in the water and unable to respond to voice prompts or grab hold of equipment, call 999 immediately as their airways are compromised.
Non swimmers
Will be upright and look like climbing a ladder, may not know how to float or hold equipment.
Not in danger yet but could be?
Call 999 and ask for advice or to report what you have seen.
Stay dry stay safe
- Never enter the water to rescue someone in difficulty, immediately call 999 whilst shouting for help and looking for objects to throw to them, for example;
Sticks / Branch
Balls
Throw Lines
Plastic Bottles
Clothing
Buoyancy Ring
Fishing Rod
- The emergency services have protocols in place to help you to help those in difficulty without endangering yourself, they will advise how to help whilst sending the necessary emergency services.
- Even if the person in difficulty manages to get out or to the side you won’t get into trouble, they will want to check that the person is ok with no lasting effects.
