As a yacht insurance provider, we hear stories of tragedies, which in turn can make the pursuit of safety on the water a passion. We hope that this simple advice in addition to some formal training will help you to enjoy the water safely and help others in the event of an emergency.
There is a lot of talk of drowning prevention or how to retrieve someone from the water’. But do you know how to revive a drowning victim?
Statistics underscore the need for knowledge: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that in one out of every five accidental drowning deaths, the victim is 14 years of age or younger. Among the preschool age group, drowning is the leading cause of death.
We deal in yacht insurance and boat insurance, but remember that children don’t have to fall off a boat or into a pool to drown. Young children are especially susceptible to drowning in just a few inches of water.
It pays to be vigilant whenever children or teens are near water. Safety experts advise that adults should never take their eyes off a young child as drowning does not take long. For the same reason, make sure you are always within reach of very young tots whether you are at a children’s wading pool or larger body of water.
If you recover a drowning victim from the water what’s next?
If the victim is unconscious or non-responsive: Check to see if the person is breathing. If not and you cannot get a pulse, it is time to start Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Review this life-saving technique in this handy overview by the Mayo Clinic. It covers what to do even if you have had no training in CPR and first aid and is a refresher of the latest guidelines if your first aid is rusty. Note that the technique is different for infants than for older children and adults. Ask someone to call for help or call 911 if you can’t do it yourself. Anyone who has had been revived after nearly drowning needs to see a doctor.
If the victim is conscious but has swallowed water: Get the victim to a hospital emergency room to be properly assessed by a doctor. Many people mistakenly believe that if someone is breathing, despite having swallowed water or begins to breathe and throws up water, that he or she will be fine. Unfortunately, there are many dangerous (and fatal) complications that arise from nearly drowning, including pneumonia, other infections, or heart failure.
Not convinced? Do you think people who sell yacht insurance and boat insurance might look at the risks too much? Think again. Read this blog post about the risk of secondary drowning by an American mom named Lindsay in which she explains how she took her eyes off her young son Ronin for mere seconds, while he went under water for no longer than 20 seconds. Even though she immediately pulled him out, he had to be treated for secondary drowning. It was a close call and Lindsay wants all parents to be aware how quickly secondary drowning can be fatal.
We hope you stay safe and never have to file a claim with our yacht insurance company, but we’re always here to ensure you have adequate boat coverage. Contact our marine insurance professionals at Global Marine Insurance today.