The southwest monsoon has arrived in Phuket, making the dangers of the sea evident to most beach-goers, but not all. The recent drownings in Phuket emphasise the paramount importance of being able to not only avoid the dangers yourself but also provide help to others. Quick identification of an emergency is essential for rescue.
Experts single out two stages that precede drowning – Aquatic Distress (AD) and Instinctive Drowning Response (IDR). During the AD stage, the drowning person realises that something is wrong and attempts to save his or her life. Panic and shock may set in, but the person can still perform meaningful actions, such as calling for help or grabbing onto a lifeline.
“The person looks scared, they splash and struggle in the water making movements as if trying to swim but without any visible progress,’ explained Pratayuth Cuayuan, the late Phuket Lifeguard Club founder whose legacy is deeply respected by Phuket residents.
The AD stage doesn’t last long and is followed by the IDR stage during which the victim no longer controls their body, which instinctively fights for the opportunity to breathe air, and only for that.
Most notably, the person remains silent. The body maintains a vertical position with the mouth appearing above the water just to exhale, inhale, and then go down again. The victim is unable to signal with their hands or grasp a lifeline. The body instinctively fights for survival, ignoring everything else. The best way to determine if someone is okay is to ask them a direct question. If they are unable to respond, immediate action is required.
The first step is to attract attention without being afraid to raise a false alarm; it’s better to err than to regret. Then goes the golden rule for any rescuer – not to increase the number of people in need of rescue. Only enter the water if you are confident; otherwise, provide help by seeking those who can.
If the victim is already on shore, the main objective is to support the person until competent help arrives, explains Vincent Modell, a Phuket rescue worker with ten years of experience.
“Step one – look for lifeguards. Step two – call 1669 and request an ambulance. Step three – give the patient two rescue breaths. Lay the person on their back, tilt their head back, open their mouth, pinch their nose with your fingers, and breathe air into their mouth twice. Then check for breathing, typically it takes 10 seconds. If they’re not breathing, proceed with CPR if you are confident,” advises Vincent.
To learn first aid techniques, Vincent recommends contacting Basic Life Support Services Phuket. You can find their page on Facebook or call them at 080 864 8092. They are medics who not only save lives but also teach others to do so.
Experiened lifesavers from Phuket Lifeguard Service is another trusted option as they have been both saving people and training other to do so for more than a decade. You can reach out to them via Facebook or call them at 081 797 4775.
Regardless of who you choose as your trainer, even a brief hands-on course will provide you with more knowledge than the most comprehensive article.
