Mother BonesJun 20

#Via Trish Greenhalgh
@trishgreenhalgh
June 19, 2025, 12:22 PM

"Every summer, I repost this article DROWNING DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DROWNING. To date, I know of FOUR kids who were saved after someone who'd clicked on the link learnt how to spot actual drowning. Take time to read and pass on."

https://slate.com/technology/2013/06/rescuing-drowning-children-how-to-know-when-someone-is-in-trouble-in-the-water.html

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect.

Slate
Show threadBomkatt6d ago

@_L1vY_ one other important thing to know: be careful how you approach someone who is drowning.

They will instinctually try to grab and climb onto anything to get out of the water. That can lead to pulling a potential rescuer under.

Extending something they can grab, like a preserver, or going behind them is safer.

Show threadBecca Cotton-Weinhold
@bomkatt
The article literally says they will not be able to grab anything.
@_L1vY_
Jun 20 at 9:58pmWeb
Show threadBomkatt6d ago

@rlcw I think I said that badly. A drowning person is fighting for their life and not processing information.

they may not recognize an object that is extended and understand they can hold it.

They will also not realize if the thing they are trying to climb or get above is a human attempting to rescue them.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instinctive_drowning_response

@_L1vY_

Instinctive drowning response - Wikipedia

Show threadBecca Cotton-Weinhold6d ago
@bomkatt
I've read both the sources in that article as well as the article on the death grip and all of them indicate that the "paniced grabbing" is not usually the issue, but rather that rescuers get in to water they themselves cannot manage. I did also learn how to do a rescue when I was a teen from lifeguards and they taught us turn a victim on their back, head above water to drag them to shore and thrashing was also never mentioned there.
@_L1vY_
Show threadDweebish6d ago
@rlcw @bomkatt @_L1vY_ Swimmers in trouble grabbing & climbing rescuers is real. Lifesaving training teaches (or did when I took it) various approaches and holds to handle these situations. And, yes, a rear approach with a cross chest carry is pretty standard.
Show threadLee from Colorado5d ago

@rlcw @bomkatt @_L1vY_ that's interesting (haven't read the sources). Like everyone else, I was taught to be careful of panicked grabbing from a drowning person, to approach from behind, etc

All still a good idea, but interesting if most rescuer problems were from them not being about to handle the water...

Show threadBomkatt5d ago

@colo_lee I got the info about getting pulled under at PADI rescue diver certification. They teach you to get to people from behind for that reason, and to expect them to not realize you are there to help at first.

It's a real risk, even if I did not manage to post the single most convincing article when citing sources.

@_L1vY_

Show threadLee from Colorado5d ago

@bomkatt @_L1vY_ yes, like I said, I too was taught that. And I believe it's a real risk. Be careful in the approach to someone who is drowning

The thing I found interesting was the claim that the major cause of problems for rescuers was their own inability to handle the water where they were attempting a rescue.

Both of these can be true.

Show threadBomkatt5d ago

@colo_lee @_L1vY_ oh, I went back and reread the post. I misread the tone initially and got a little defensive

Sorry about that!

Show threadLee from Colorado5d ago
@bomkatt @_L1vY_ no problem!
Show threadBecca Cotton-Weinhold4d ago
@colo_lee
Makes sense though if you think about what places people are the least likely to be rescued successfully. In a public pool there is just far less likelihood of people a) not noticing a drowning and b) not noticing if the rescuer was in distress. The cases the source outlined the body of water was deceptive or in one example the rescuer was too drunk. (Though they do say this is mostly not an issue).
@bomkatt @_L1vY_
Show threadrun_atalanta 😷💯5d ago

@bomkatt @rlcw @_L1vY_ What Bomkatt is saying is one of the first principles of rescue taught in Red Cross Life Guarding classes. You cannot save them if you cannot breath and they push you under.

In classes you are taught, and practice, how to grab and transport a drowning victim so they cannot pull you under in their panic. You are taught, and practice, how to get behind a thrashing, panicing victim. You are taught dives for entering the water from various heights without losing sight of your target.

Anyone who considers themselves an excellent swimmer should take the course, learn some real skills that are as lifesaving as CPR is. Because the second most dangerous part of saving a drowning victim, is an eager assistant who becomes the next victim, becuase they didn't understand how to safely bring someone to shore, or get them out of a pool. 🫵💪✌️🤝

Show threadoheso5d ago

@run_atalanta @bomkatt @rlcw @_L1vY_ When I took a lifeguarding course at uni (far more years ago than I care to remember), the instructor started with a stark message: There were 88 drownings in this state last year.

44 of them were double drownings.