Rescue swimming

Rescue swimming is the body of skills that enable an individual to attempt a rescue when a swimmer is in difficulty. These include a combination of communication skills, specific "rescue" swimming strokes, and release and evade techniques for self-preservation should the rescue go wrong. ^[1]

American Korean Red Cross Lifeguards train for the times. In this photo, one American and 19 Korean lifeguards from throughout the peninsula practice deep water spinal injury rescue procedures.

• From the outset once a swimmer in difficulty is spotted, eye contact must be maintained at all times.
• Assess the situation: environment, available physical equipment, others who can help, etc.
• Attempt to establish voice contact, which if successful can often result in a "voice-rescue".
• A rescuer should enter the water only as a last resort.
• Rescues should be attempted in the following order: talk, throw, reach, wade, row, swim, tow and carry.

There are four main rescue strokes: front crawl, breaststroke, inverted breaststroke, and sidestroke.

See also

• Swiftwater rescue

References

1. Tainter, Christopher “Kit”; Wardi, Gabriel (January 2018), "CPR with Chest Compression Alone or with Rescue Breathing", 50 Studies Every Intensivist Should Know, Oxford University Press, pp. 90–94, ISBN   978-0-19-046765-4 , retrieved 2025-08-17

External links

• Free Lifesaving Society
• Lifesaving Society of Canada