Prevent drowning, travel safely

Prevent drowning, travel safely

Author: Guan Juan, Emergency Department, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital

July 25th of every year is World Drowning Prevention Day, which was established by a resolution passed by the 75th United Nations General Assembly on April 28, 2021. It aims to raise the global people's awareness of drowning prevention safety and reduce the occurrence of drowning accidents.

According to incomplete statistics from the National Health Commission and the Ministry of Public Security, about 57,000 people die from drowning in my country each year. This number is shocking, especially considering that 56% of them are children. This means that drowning has become the "number one killer" of accidental injuries and deaths among primary and secondary school students during the summer vacation.

How to prevent drowning?

1. Strengthen safety awareness education:

Raise public awareness of the dangers of drowning and understand the main causes and consequences of drowning.

Emphasize the need to remain vigilant when near water and avoid acting alone.

2. Learn swimming skills:

Learning to swim is the most basic and important measure to prevent drowning.

It is recommended that everyone should master basic swimming skills and first aid methods.

3. Supervision and care of children:

Children are a high-risk group for drowning accidents, and parents and guardians should always be vigilant.

Avoid leaving children alone in the water, especially where there are no lifeguards.

When in places such as swimming or water parks, make sure children are always within sight.

4. Choose a safe swimming place:

Avoid swimming places where the water depth is unknown or where drowning accidents often occur.

It's best to go to a pool or beach that has lifeguards and is well-equipped.

5. Use life-saving equipment:

When in water activities, you should always wear life-saving equipment, such as lifebuoys, floats, etc.

These devices provide extra buoyancy to help keep your body above water.

6. Observe safety regulations and warning signs:

When in swimming pools, beaches or other water areas, please comply with relevant safety regulations and warning signs.

Do not enter deep water areas without permission and do not swim in areas where swimming is prohibited.

7. Pay attention to weather and water quality:

When choosing a swimming place, pay attention to weather conditions and avoid swimming in bad weather, such as heavy rain, thunder and lightning, etc. Choose clear, unpolluted waters to swim, and avoid swimming in heavily polluted areas.

8. Understand your physical condition:

Be aware of your own physical condition. Patients with heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. should avoid water activities.

Do warm-up exercises before swimming to avoid sudden and intense exercise that may cause muscle cramps.

9. Learn first aid knowledge:

Learn basic first aid knowledge, such as artificial respiration, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, etc., so as to save yourself or others in an emergency.

10. Avoid high-risk behaviors:

Avoid excessive attempts to show off or gamble in the water, as these can easily lead to drowning accidents.

Do not overestimate your swimming ability and do not attempt swimming maneuvers or risky behaviors that are beyond your skill level.

By taking the above measures, we can effectively reduce the incidence of drowning accidents and protect the lives of ourselves and others. At the same time, we also need to continuously strengthen anti-drowning publicity and education to improve the public's safety awareness and self-protection ability.

Myth:

1. People will scream loudly after drowning

Drowning accidents often happen quietly. Drowning victims are often unable to shout out loud because of panic, choking or exhaustion. In fact, many drowning victims are in a silent state, unable to call for help or attract the attention of people around them.

2. Being able to swim means you won’t drown and can save people

Although swimming skills can improve safety in water, they cannot completely prevent drowning. Many drowning accidents occur to people who can swim, especially in unknown waters or when facing unforeseen dangerous factors (such as water plants, rapids, underwater reefs, etc.). Water rescue is very professional and requires certain skills and physical strength. Ordinary people's skills and physical strength are difficult to be competent, and they are more likely to put themselves in danger.

Statistics show that judging from the drowning accidents that have occurred in recent years, most of the victims were able to swim, or even were "very good at swimming."

The correct approach: Even if you can swim, you should not go into the water to save people easily. Instead, you should seek help from professional rescuers.

3. Holding hands can save a drowning person

Holding hands to save people is a dangerous attempt. Once someone loses balance or strength, the whole group may fall into the water at the same time, aggravating the consequences of the accident. In fact, rescuing drowning people requires professional knowledge and skills, and non-professionals should immediately seek help and call rescuers.

4. Use a swimming ring to avoid drowning

Misconception: Thinking that a swimming ring is a professional flotation device that can completely prevent drowning.

Swimming rings are not professional flotation devices. When the water flow changes, the swimming ring is not grasped, or the swimming ring fails to function, it may cause drowning. In addition, inflatable water toys and inflatable water toys are only auxiliary tools and cannot replace adult supervision.

5. Control water immediately

Misconception: Many people believe that they need to control water immediately after drowning, such as patting the back, standing upside down, running backwards, etc.

After a person drowns, water entering the lungs will affect gas exchange, leading to mechanical asphyxiation and cardiac arrest. Controlling water can only control the water in the stomach, not the water in the lungs, and will delay the best time for rescue.

Correct approach: After rescuing the drowning person to shore, immediately remove foreign objects from the mouth and nose, keep the airway open, and then take other first aid measures.

In order to prevent and reduce the occurrence of drowning accidents, we need to raise public awareness of drowning misconceptions, strengthen anti-drowning education and publicity, and improve the public's safety awareness and self-protection ability. At the same time, we should also learn the correct rescue methods so that we can save ourselves or others in an emergency.

Summer is here for swimming and playing in the water, so it’s a good idea to sneak into the water.

Children who travel with others without permission cannot be protected and must be accompanied by an adult.

Don't go without rescue, and don't rely on unfamiliar waters.

Don’t save people if you are not a good swimmer. Don’t forget the six safety rules.