Supervise your children this summer

According to ER24 JHB East spokesperson Glen Orritt, ER24 recorded 116 drownings in the summer months from October 2012 to February 2013.

He said children wandering around water without supervision are ticking time bombs.

Orritt said people should have pool nets on their swimming pools and/or a fence around their pools.

Adults must closely supervise people in the pool, and ensure life jackets are worn on a boat.

The paramedic provided the following advice in case the need for CPR arises:

•  Remove the person from the water and place them on their back on a flat surface.

•  Check for responsiveness by talking loudly while shaking the person’s shoulder and checking for any movement in their chest, which would indicate that they are breathing.

•  Call 084 124

•  CPR on a patient who is unconscious and not breathing starts by interlocking your hands and keeping your shoulders locked with your weight balanced over the patient’s chest. Place your hands in the middle of the chest, starting compressions at a hard and fast rate of no less than 100 compressions per minute, as in one-and-two-and-three-and-four-and…

•  Wait for pramedics or qualified help to arrive.