What to do if someone gets into difficulty in the pool

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety in the City of Joburg, councillor Mally Mokoena offered the following solutions to help someone in difficulty while they are swimming.
These tips remain pertinent for all who may find themselves in this situation.

In the unfortunate event that someone has difficulty swimming, do the following:

• Make sure it is safe for you to enter the water first then get the victim out of the water as soon as possible.
•  Handle the victim with care. Many submersion incidents are associated with neck injuries so keep movement to the back and neck to a minimum.
•  Assess to see if the victim is awake or not.
•  Check for breathing. If the victim is not breathing, administer two slow breaths ensuring the victim’s chest starts to rise slightly.
•  If the victim shows no response to the rescue breaths, start CPR.
• CPR is vital even if it is an amateur administering it. Perform the manoeuvre until someone who is trained in advanced life support arrives and can take over.
• Call or have someone call a recognised ambulance service as soon as possible during this sequence. Whoever calls for the ambulance must give the dispatcher the accurate location of the incident and a contact number at the scene.
• Never hang-up on the operator and always return to the rescuer to inform them that you have called for help.

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