Summer is a time of danger, especially when you spend your days by the water. Antoine André, emergency doctor and SNSM referent, gives us the keys to prevent drowning and hydrocution, but the right actions in the event of an accident. 597:this is the number of deaths by drowning recorded between June 1 and September 30, 2018 according to the results of the 2018 Drowning Survey, published in 2020 by Santé Publique France.
The 2021 Drowning Survey - the objective of which is to identify all drownings taken care of by an organized rescue service and followed by hospital treatment or death - will be carried out between 1 er June and September 30, 2021 in mainland France and overseas territories.
The opportunity to remember what are the good gestures to know to avoid the worst.
It only takes 20 cm of water for an unattended child to drown within minutes. Similarly, a child under 2 years old does not yet have the reflexes to struggle when he falls into the water:he sinks instantly.
In France, drowning is the very first cause of death by accident in everyday life among children under 15 years old and each year, 15% of deaths by accidental drowning concern children under 6 years old. Hence the importance of learning to swim from an early age. To prevent these tragedies, increased and permanent monitoring is essential.
The first reflex to have when arriving on a beach is to consult the forecast tables of the surveillance posts. Weather forecasts, currents, tide times... They are real mines of information that should not be overlooked. Then, we spot the color of the bathing flag (which can change during the day):
Green Flag: supervised bathing and no particular danger.
Orange flag: dangerous but supervised swimming.
Red flag: bathing strictly prohibited.
Video of the day:Then, the mission of the parents is simple:constantly monitor their children, whether they are on the beach, at the edge or in the water. Due to the high summer crowds, you should not rely exclusively on the vigilance of lifeguards at sea, nor think that a safe bathing area protects you from all danger.
If a child does not know how to swim, they must be equipped with armbands adapted to their size, weight and age and bearing the CE marking and standard NF 13138-1. Be careful, these do not constitute flawless protection against drowning, just like buoys, mattresses or inflatable boats which can quickly drift out to sea.
Adults should not overestimate their abilities . A 500m swim in open water and in a swimming pool have nothing to do with each other. Finally, risky behavior such as the consumption of alcohol or narcotics before taking the plunge is obviously to be avoided.
The public swimming pools are all supervised by lifeguards. But as on the beaches, this does not prevent having to constantly watch the children and accompany them in water games such as slides.
Private swimming pools must be equipped with barriers, shelters or covers to prevent access and immersion alarms to alert in the event of a fall in the pool. Outside periods of use, ladders or diving boards must be removed. During swimming, it is necessary to always keep a pole or a lifebuoy close at hand.
For all nautical activities such as canoeing, kayaking, rafting, it is essential to equip yourself with a helmet, a life jacket and to be supervised by a professional throughout their practice. Otherwise, the safety rules that apply remain the same as those applied at the beach.
Do not fight against the current and the waves so as not to exhaust yourself. Calm down, stress can make the situation worse. If possible, lie on your back (in a plank position) to rest. Your airways are then cleared and you can breathe normally to try to call for help.
Don't take yourself for a superhero:playing lifeguard for a day cannot be improvised, especially at sea. rescue. The goal is not to endanger yourself.
The important thing is not to lose sight of the victim until the rescuers are in the water. Once the victim is out of the water, call for help. If she is breathing, place her in a recovery position (PLS) to prevent her from choking if she spits up water. If the victim is not breathing, begin performing CPR:30 chest compressions, followed by 2 breaths. Then alternate between 30 chest compressions and 2 breaths, then continue resuscitation until help arrives if she does not resume normal breathing.
Dry drowning mainly affects children, but remains extremely rare. It can occur a few days (and even up to a week) after "drinking the cup". Water descends along the bronchi and reaches the lungs which continue to fill with liquid. The victim then lacks oxygen and risks cardiac arrest.
Signs that should alert: cough, shortness of breath, blue lips, irritability, severe fatigue, chest pain and vomiting.
If in doubt, it is best to go to the emergency room immediately.
Hydrocution, or thermal shock, is the consequence of sudden immersion in cold water after prolonged exposure to the sun. If there is too great a difference between the temperature of the body and that of the water, the blood vessels shrink during immersion, which can lead to loss of consciousness (which may be preceded by chills, cramps, visual, itching), respiratory arrest and in the most severe cases, cardiac arrest. The main danger then is sinking and drowning.
Good gestures: do not give mouth-to-mouth (unless the victim has swallowed water) but cardiac massage.
It is therefore better not to expose yourself for too long if you intend to swim. Gradually enter the water by first wetting your arms, neck and belly instead of immersing yourself completely and abruptly.
Thank you to Doctor Antoine André, emergency physician, SNSM referent.
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