According to statistics, in 40 percent of cases people find themselves in deep water unexpectedly, when they do not plan it at all. For example, this can happen due to a man-made accident, such as a dam break, an accidental fall into the water from a boat or other floating craft, jumping into the water to save a person or a dog, a strong current that can knock you off your feet and carry you away to the deep while swimming near the shore, etc. When a person is caught by surprise, his life depends on his own actions, but most people at such a moment give in to emotions and instincts, which often ends in tragedy.
Every year, thousands of people die from drowning in water. Photo source: gubdaily.ru
Contents
- 1 Why do people drown in water
- 2 What to do if you start to drown
- 3 How to stay afloat and not drown
- 4 How to swim to shore
- 5 How to save another person
Why do people drown in water
If you look at the statistics, how many people drown per yearin Russia, you will probably be surprised – we are not talking about hundreds or even thousands, but tens of thousands of tragic cases. According to some data, this sad figure reaches 25-30 thousand cases. According to the WHO, drowning is the third leading cause of death from unintentional injuries – it accounts for 7% of all deaths related to injuries.
This is partly due to the fact that being near water, for example, on the shore of a river, lake or sea, we feel more relaxed. Water has a calming effect – it slows down the heart rate and lowers blood pressure, and also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body to rest and digest food.
As a result, the sense of danger is dulled. Perhaps that is why, as has already been said above, 40% of incidents occur when people do not even plan to be in the water. Moreover, in 80% of cases, teenage and middle-aged men drown. This can be explained by more careless behavior on the water, disregard for safety, and drinking alcohol. By the way, men of the same age categories also mostly die from sand on the beaches.
In 80% of cases, teenage and middle-aged men drown. Photo source: dzen.ru
Some studies by scientists have shown that men have a different perception of risk than women, and also have a tendency to make impulsive decisions. Women are usually more cautious, more inclined to avoid risk and follow safety rules.
Many people who are good swimmers often think that the danger of drowning does not concern them. However, according to the same statistics, even experienced swimmers drown every year. Why do people who can swim drown? The reasons can be very different, one of them is the development of SIPE, which even competitive swimmers can face.
What to do if you start drowning
When a person suddenly finds himself in deep water, he immediately experiences a feeling of fear and panic. In addition, due to shock and cold water, adrenaline is released in the body. This causes a person to choke, hold their breath, and struggle to swim, making chaotic movements with their arms and legs.
A drowning person makes fast, chaotic movements, and this causes death. Photo source: 1obl.ru
It is this behavior that causes death. At the same time, it is extremely difficult not to give in to panic and instincts in such a situation. However, it is necessary to pull yourself together and perform several simple actions, which we will discuss below.
As studies show, these actions significantly increase the chances of survival, regardless of your abilities and swimming experience. And to make it easier to pull yourself together and not panic, it is advisable to mentally simulate a similar situation and your actions in advance.
How to stay afloat and not drown
Experts recommend throwing your head back, immersing your ears in the water, spreading your arms and legs, and relaxing. The airways must remain open. To stay afloat, move your arms, but not sharply. If your leg sinks in this case, do not worry, since everyone’s buoyancy is different, but the body will still remain on the surface.
In the water, you need to relax and not panic. Photo source:
Even if you don’t know how to swim, but you can resist panicking and relax, having completed all the above steps, at some point you will feel how the water literally pushes you to the surface. All that remains is to paddle with your arms to swim and maintain your body position on the surface of the water.
How to swim to shore
Another common mistake people make in extreme situations is to resist the current, especially if it is strong. This leads to the person quickly getting tired, but never reaching the goal, that is, the shore, even if at first glance the shore is very close.
The only correct solution in such a situation is to swim with the current, but not necessarily strictly parallel to it, but at a slight angle so that you can reach the shore. In this case, you will cover a much greater distance, perhaps you will be carried away from the place where you were initially, but you will be able to get to dry land and spend much less energy.
When rescuing a drowning person in the water, you must also follow certain rules. Photo source: sytomino.ru
How to save another person
Unfortunately, there are often cases when a person rushes to help a drowning person, and as a result, two people die – both the drowning person and the rescuer. The reason is that the drowning person makes random movements in a panic and resists the rescuer.
Therefore, a person who is in trouble must be given verbal recommendations on how to stay afloat and try to calm him down. If it is not possible to throw a life preserver to the drowning person or call professional rescuers for help, you must swim up to him from behind.
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If this is not possible, you need to dive under the drowning person, grab his right leg under the knee with your left hand, and turn him with his back to you. When the rescuer is behind the drowning person, you need to pass your hand under the armpit of the victim's right hand and, firmly grabbing his arm and shoulder, swim to the shore. Finally, we note that it is much easier to take safety measures in advance. Therefore, when you are near water, do not forget what danger it poses and think about how to avoid it.