Water Emergencies

1
Water Emergencies

• Chapter 26

2
Drowning and near drowning

• Not always in deep water
• Near drowning temporary survival
• Drowning death from suffocation
• Wet drowning aspirate water
• Dry drowning dont aspirate water
• Secondary drowning victim is resuscitated but
  later dies
• Victims with poorest prognosis?

3
Cold water resuscitation

• Mammalian diving reflex
• Breathing and heart rate are slowed
• Blood flow maintained to the brain
• Cold also reduces metabolism
• Victims can be resuscitated up to 30 minutes
  after drowning

4
How to reach a drowning victim

• Only enter very shallow water with stable bottom
• Wear a PFD
• Hold out or throw an object for them to grab
• Dont swim in after them unless trained!!
• Go to the victim if theyre unconscious

5
Emergency care

• Activate EMS and send to the hospital
• 15 mortality rate
• Remove from water
• Treat for ABCs
• Diving emergencies
• Injuries to head, neck, and extremities common in
  shallow water
• Stabilize c-spine before removing them from the
  water

6
SCUBA emergencies

• Air embolism
• Breath holding during descent
• Rapid onset alveoli burst
• Decompression sickness
• The bends Ascends too quickly
• Air bubbles enter blood and tissues
• Barotrauma
• Ascent or descent
• Air cavities rupture
• Must be treated at hospital

7
SCUBA emergencies

• Signs and symptoms
• Mottled skin, crepitus
• Frothy blood
• Blurred vision, chest pain
• Swelling in extremities
• Care
• Activate EMS
• Place on left side to aid drainage
• Provide basic life support

8
Psychological Emergencies and Disasters

• Chapter 28

9
Goals and basic principles

• Person exhibits abnormal behavior
• Mental illness
• Extreme emotion
• Physical condition
• Decrease intensity of reaction until help arrives
• Keep victim from hurting themselves or others
• Help them function as normally as possible

• Basic principles
• Everybody has more ability to cope
• Every person has limitations
• Each person has a right to their feelings
• Emotional injury is as real as physical
• Understand victims perspective
• Dont judge or criticize
• Listen with empathy
• Give calm, honest reassurance
• Explain the situation and plan of action

10
Suicide

• Willful act to end life
• 10th leading cause of death
• 2nd among college students
• 3X more women attempt
• 3X more men succeed
• Attempts peak in spring and fall
• Many victims make last minute attempts to
  communicate their intentions
• Dont want to die
• Want attention
• Want to punish someone
• Always take suicidal people seriously

11
Mass casualties and disaster

• People can become dazed, disorganized, or
  overwhelmed when faced with disaster
• Possible reactions
• Normal
• Blind panic
• Depression
• Overreacting
• Conversion hysteria
• Triage
• Sorting and classifying victims by injury severity