Non-Swimming Rescues (1974)

What a day. Weather's great. Food's good. Nothing could possibly go wrong. Except it does. If you're between 4 and 44, you're more likely to die from drought than any other cause except automobile accidents. 7,000 people drown every year, and over half of them never intend to get wet in the first place. How do you rescue someone who's drowning like this? Well, yes, if you're a strong swimmer who's thoroughly trained in life saving. If you're not, a scene like this could easily turn into a double drowning. But there are many ways to make rescues without being able to swim a stroke and sometimes without even getting wet. Look, Bob out there. The secret is in knowing how to respond and in realizing that the means to make a safe, effective rescue may literally be at your fingertips. Grab onto it. Kick your beat. Kick. Hold tight. Kick. Kick. Kick. Keep kicking. Keep [Music] kicking. Swimmers frequently get into trouble just a few feet from safety. When they do, extension assists are usually the easiest, safest, and most effective rescues. Here, the rescuer simply lies flat on the deck and carefully grabs the victim's arm. If the victim is out of arms reach, the rescuer can slip into the water while holding firmly onto a stable support, such as the ladder here, and extend his arm to the [Music] victim. If he's still out of reach, the rescuer's entire body can be extended while he maintains his hold on the support. Now the victim can grab the outstretched leg and be pulled to safety. Sometimes rescue equipment is available to help with extension assists. A long pole makes for effective close-in rescues, while a pole with a line attached is useful for victims who are a little farther away. The rescuer should always carefully brace himself to avoid being pulled in. When the victim is too exhausted to grasp a pole or line, a shepherd's crook is especially useful. A rescuer can make an extension assist with this device by working the rounded crook under the victim's armpits and pulling him to safety. If the victim is beyond the reach of all extension devices, a throwing assist may be made. A simple inexpensive heaving line can greatly extend your reach in an emergency. When it is tossed properly, the line will extend past the victim so he can easily grab it. Then the rescuer pulls the victim in slowly and steadily, being sure not to jerk the line out of his grasp. A plastic jug attached to the heaving line can make the rescue even easier. The jug should have about an inch of water in the bottom for stability. The rescuer should always brace himself carefully as he pulls the victim in. A ring boy is the most effective device for throwing assists. It should be an easily accessible life-saving tool at all waterfronts. If the first toss is inaccurate or if the current carries the boy away from the victim, the rescuer should quickly haul in the boy and toss it again. And remember to pull the victim in slowly and steady. Sometimes it's necessary for a nonswmer to make a waiting assist, but this should only be done after adequate precautions are taken for the rescuer's own safety. Here, several rescuers form a human chain. This type of rescue is especially useful in strong current. Whenever a nonswmer makes a waiting rescue, he should keep his body inclined away from the victim and towards shore to avoid being pulled off balance. This child is floundering in water just barely over his head. So, it is safe for the rescuer to wade in and give assistance. To avoid being pulled into deep water, the rescuer removes his shirt and extends it to the victim. Then he moves gently backwards to safety. [Music] [Applause] Similar rescues can be made using any handy floating object like this [Applause] [Music] board. Such a device will give the victim temporary support while he is brought to safety. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] If an automobile is nearby, the spare tire can be used to help with awaiting rescue. The tire provides a measure of safety for the rescuer and it gives the victim an extremely buoyant support as he is brought to safety. While non-swimming assists are useful and can save many lives, there are situations where none of them work. This victim is in deep water and the line on the ring boy is simply too short to reach him. A swimming assist is needed, but there are some important basic swimming skills required for even the simplest swimming assists. These skills are known collectively as survival swimming, and they're demonstrated in detail in another film in this series. A double drowning is likely to be the result if a swimming assist is attempted by anyone not proficient in these fundamental skills. It's important to use equipment whenever possible. Here, the rescuer keeps the ring boy between herself and the victim. This way, she can avoid supporting the victim herself. She is also in a position to let go and swim away in case the victim should attempt to grab her. The key to success in all these assists is common sense. Don't overestimate your own swimming abilities. And look around you for that pole or rope or picnic jug that can extend your reach and save a life. Make it pretty. [Music]