We kennen allemaal de beelden uit films of tv series (bijvoorbeeld Baywatch) van iemand die bezig is te verdrinken. De persoon schreeuwt zich de longen uit het lijf en zwaait wild met de armen in de lucht.
In werkelijkheid ziet iemand die verdrinkt er heel anders uit, en het is nuttig om het te leren herkennen, want door onwetendheid gebeurt het geregeld dat er iemand verdrinkt op een paar meter afstand van een persoon die hulp had kunnen bieden.
In werkelijkheid heeft iemand die verdrinkt het veel te druk met ademhalen om te schreeuwen, en zijn de armen nodig om boven water te komen waardoor er geen mogelijkheid is om te zwaaien.
Op deze site staat alles uitgelegd: http://gcaptain.com/drowning/#.VWBTlZ9n0Ew.facebook
Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. Th e respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe. Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs. (Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006)
This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in there own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.
Lees vooral het hele artikel in de link: http://gcaptain.com/drowning/#.VWBTlZ9n0Ew.facebook
Zo herken je iemand die verdrinkt:
Head low in the water, mouth at water level
Head tilted back with mouth open
Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
Eyes closed
Hair over forehead or eyes
Not using legs – Vertical
Hyperventilating or gasping
Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
Trying to roll over on the back
Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.
Met dezelfde link: http://gcaptain.com/drowning/#.VWBTlZ9n0Ew.facebook