Drowning in water is a situation that people may have experienced or will experience in some way in life. Suffocation from the effect of water can be harmful to people's health, and suffocation from the effect of drowning in water will cause human death. A person who drowns should receive first aid to prevent further injuries and side effects. People can minimize the risk of drowning by following some safety tips.

Most of the people who suffer from this condition are children and young people, with all these accidents that lead to drowning, it can happen to all people of all ages. On the other hand, the inhabitants of the tropical regions of Afghanistan put their lives at risk every year in the hot seasons of the year by going to unsupervised seas and lakes, dams, or swimming pools, and several Afghans are more likely to die in the water during these hot seasons. they lose There are even Afghans who cross seas and oceans during migration, and sometimes their ships get into trouble and sink. As a person who has faced this issue, whether it threatens you or other people, if you have enough skills and complete knowledge, you can easily save your life and these people. Do not forget that learning this training is vital because, in addition to other people, you may face your loved ones and family members in this scene.

How to save yourself from drowning, how to help a drowning person, how to help a drowning person, and safety tips to avoid drowning in this guide.

How to save yourself from drowning?

If you accidentally fall into the water or are dragged to the depth of the water, you will need movements that will bring you closer to the surface of the water. Therefore, use the following techniques to save yourself:

• Keep your arms in the water! The more your body parts are in the water, the less pressure will be applied to you, and as a result, you will stay above the water more with the simple movement of your legs and hands. Never try to struggle to get to the surface of the water, as this will tire you out more and sink you into the water.
• Open your hands! When you open your hands, with the simple movement of your legs and hands, the water will give you more counter force and as a result, you will be closer to the surface of the water.
• Move your legs in the form of scissors! Keep your foot in a walking position and move like a scissor. Avoid stress kicks. You must control yourself because at that moment, you have one goal and that is not to drown. So, in the closest possible position, move your legs in a scissor shape and this way, more water will be moved. The movement of arms and legs requires coordination to such an extent that you must have practiced beforehand and shake them in turn.
• Breathe regularly! When you always have air in your lungs, you have a better chance of staying afloat. Breathe calmly and regularly. Do not breathe in a row, because in addition to shortness of breath, it will make you tired sooner.
• Look hard! Look around you to find a hard place like a rock or a tree and slowly move towards it. If your feet touch the ground, stop immediately.
• Ask for help! Look around you to ask other people for help. Ask for help from people further away by making noise. Also, you can attract the attention of helpers by waving a cloth-like underwear.

How to know that the other person is drowning?

Before trying to save a person, you need to know if the person is drowning or not. In the following, we will review the signs that indicate that a person is drowning, and then we will examine the methods and ways to save that person:

• Usually, the head is under the water and the person's mouth is closed above the water, and the person also goes up and down.
• Head tilted back and sometimes he tries to breathe by opening his mouth.
• The drowning person usually has his head up and his legs down and has a straight posture.
• The person's hands are open to the side.
• The person's eyes are closed and looking at a point in an unusual way; And
• Even though the hairs in front of the person's eyes are caught, the person does not try to move them away.

How to save a person from drowning?

If you encounter any of the above symptoms, do not waste time and go to the person and inquire about the situation and help if needed. Be careful to act only if you are fully familiar with water sports or swimming. If you want to save the person, follow the steps below:

• Use a wooden stick! If you notice that the person is drowning, find a relatively long wooden stick and first check the depth of the water with this stick, slowly approach the person, put the other side of the stick to the drowning person and slowly pull the person to land.
• Use the string to save! Find a long rope, hold one end of the rope tightly and throw the other end of the rope towards the drowning person and slowly, slowly pull the person towards the land.
• Provide a person with an inflatable device! If you notice that there are empty bottles, sports balls or a life jacket next to you, immediately give them to the drowning person so that the person can use them to stay afloat.
• Use the small boat! When a boat or motor tube is available and you know how to use it, get on it and rush to the rescue.
• Take the person from behind! If you notice that the person is drowning and you have swimming skills, you must enter the water and try to save the person. Try to save the person from the back. A drowning person will attack you when he sees you and is firmly available and will drag you under the water with him. Going from the back to the person will save you from these problems.
• Save the person underwater! If the person has completely gone under the water, move towards him under the water and then try to pull the person up from under the hands and armpits. Even if you are forced, you can get help from the hands or even the hair of the person to grab and pull up. Now that the person is in your possession, move the person to the top of the water by swimming.
• Get the person out of the water! Now that you have reached the surface of the water, move yourself and the person to the edge of the water and take them out of the water. The only part of the person's body that should be above the water is the drowned person's head. While doing your work calmly, don't forget that the person should be taken out of the water as soon as possible to perform first aid.

What are the symptoms of drowning?

Drowning happens when a person is unable to breathe underwater and this happens for a long time. As a result of this incident, the body faces a severe lack of oxygen, and as a result of this incident, most of the body's organs and systems fail. A drowning person may not be fully conscious, other symptoms include:

• Cold and bruised skin
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or vomiting
• Some other symptoms

First aid

• After you have removed the drowning person from the water, during transport to the desired location, the person's head should be lower than the rest of the body to allow water to escape from the breathing passages. You should open the breathing machine and prepare yourself to perform resuscitation if needed.
• If water contamination or objects are inside the person's mouth or respiratory tract, remove them. Also, if the person's respiratory tract is closed due to nausea, you should clean it.
• Check vital signs, the most important of which are the person's pulse and respiratory signs. At the same time, you should try to keep the person's body warm as well.
• If you checked the respiratory symptoms and they were having problems, you should start the breathing method and continue doing this until the ambulance arrives.
• When vital signs such as heartbeat and breathing return, you should turn them to the side and keep the body warm with a blanket.
• If the drowned person was facing various body fractures, including the neck, the person should be taken out of the water and transported using a stretcher or a medical chair.
• Do not waste time to remove the water from inside the person's lungs, and depending on the size of the person, try to remove the water by laying the person down and applying some pressure on the stomach area.

Note that even if the person was under water for more than 15 or 20 minutes, you should perform artificial respiration and do not despair.

Prevention of drowning

Prevention is always better than cure. Some tips to prevent drowning are given below:

• Getting to know the aquatic environment: Always be familiar with the aquatic environment around you. When you want to swim, you need to know the depth and characteristics of the water around you, especially when you are swimming in an environment other than an unsupervised aquatic environment. Since the geography of Afghanistan is mountainous and uneven, the seas, lakes and rivers may show little water depth at first, but you will encounter sudden depths. In this case, if you neglect for a moment, the flow of water may endanger your life. In some cases, especially in dams and dams, whirlpools are formed that even skilled swimmers die.
• Entering the water environment slowly: the moment you enter the water, first walk a little in your surroundings to get a basic familiarity with it. In natural water environments, you may not notice some obstacles in the water, such as rocks, due to vision errors. We recommend that you never jump into the water with your head in such waters and by taking a step, recognize the depth and characteristics of the water and then continue swimming.
• Avoiding environments with water flow: try not to enter seas and rivers with strong water flow. If you find yourself in such a situation, try to swim on your back with your feet in the water so that you are less injured if you hit an obstacle such as a rock. When you reach the weaker part of the water, swim to land.
• Group swimming: If it is possible for you, go swimming with family members or friends who can help you in case of problems. Of course, you should hope that you are swimming with people who are skilled swimmers and can help you in case of problems. Always be aware of everyone around you, if you do not see someone anymore, they probably need help.
• Making the water environment safe: If you have a small child or a member of your family who cannot swim, install a barrier around the pond or lake near your home and block all his play equipment from the paths leading to the water so that he can play in the water unattended. Do not be tempted and make sure that the water depth is shallow and does not have rocks.
• Using flotation devices: If you have a swimming pool at home, make sure you use flotation devices. If you are constantly swimming in seas and lakes, carry a life jacket or other equipment, such as an inflatable ball or inflatable ball.

Read some important safety tips and recommendations below:

• Children should not enter the water without being accompanied by an adult.
• Children should go into the water with swimming safety equipment (swimming vest, swimming armband, swimming ring).
• Do not leave children alone by the sea and river, near dangerous water places and ponds. Child drowning can happen very quietly.
• Do not overfill the bathroom faucet. The water level should be low enough so that there is no risk of suffocation if the baby is immersed in it.
• Install guards and barriers around the pond and well.
• Learn swimming skills.
• Wear a life jacket when riding a boat or TV.
• Do not enter water that you do not know the depth of.
• Sudden immersion in cold water can cause shock.
• Do not swim in dangerous water places at night.
• Do not swim in the sea when the sea is stormy.
• If you do not know how to swim, do not swim in dangerous water places.
• Do not go further than the permitted area for swimming in the sea.
• Do not overestimate your ability to swim, as some drowning victims are well-versed in swimming.
• If you feel your muscles are tight or tired while swimming, get out of the water immediately.
• Avoid alcohol, drugs and sleeping pills before swimming.
• When swimming in the sea, have one of your friends and acquaintances by the sea to watch over you and inform the helpers if necessary.
• Never swim alone and in environments where there are no lifeguards.
• Avoid dangerous jokes in the water and while swimming.
• If you do not know how to swim, don't enter the water to save a drowning person because you will also drown.
• In rivers, falling involuntarily into the water, especially while fishing, boating, standing, or walking along the river, causes drowning.
• Rivers have unstable edges, it is possible to collapse the edges, be careful.
• The dam is not a suitable place for swimming, avoid swimming even in the calm water flows of the dams.

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