To be prepared, you should know how to rescue someone in the water without endangering yourself. This means reach or throw (don’t go!).
Victim Recognition
You cannot come to the aid of someone in the water if you cannot recognize the victim. Victims in the water are of 3 general types: distressed, active drowning, and unresponsive victims. The following table describes these victim types.
| Distressed Victim | Active Drowning Victim | Unresponsive Victim | |
| Description | A distressed victim may be an ill, injured, or exhausted swimmer with some ability to float or tread water. Or a distressed victim may be a nonswimmer who has the support of a line, buoy, etc., but no way to escape the water. | A nonswimmer who has no swimming ability or other support in deep water. The active drowning victim may struggle at the surface for 20 to 60 seconds before submerging and suffocating in the water. | A victim with respiratory impairment due to immersion in the water. Unresponsive victims may have stopped breathing and may have suffered asphyxial cardiac arrest. |
| Facial Expression | Pain, exhaustion, panic. | Wide-eyed panic. | Face unseen below the water or submerged; eyes may be closed. |
| Head/Body Position | Head above water. Body position can be vertical, diagonal, or horizontal depending on how the victim is supported. | Head tilted back with body vertical and arms outstretched, like grasping or “climbing a ladder.” | Head is in the water. Body is limp in water, floating or submerged. |
| Ability to Breathe/Call Out | Is breathing and can call out for help. | Struggles to breathe so cannot call out for help. | No breathing. |
| Arm and Leg Actions | Finning, sculling, stroking with some kicking action. Holding onto support with no kick. May be waving for help. | Arms thrash or grasp at the water. Legs do not kick or provide any support. | No movement. |
| Ability to Move through the Water | Some forward progress or noticeable ability to float, tread water, etc. | Struggling but no forward progress through the water. | No movement. |
| Location/Means of Support | Usually at the surface supported by swimming ability or other means (e.g., holding onto a safety line, etc.). | At the surface struggling, sinking, or submerged with no swimming ability or means of support. | At the surface or submerged. Victim is unconscious; determining support is not applicable. |
Water Assist Skills for Nonlifeguards
Water assists described in this section are often called elementary assists. These assists can be performed safely by anyone, including nonswimmers. They each start with a strong position of safety (e.g., on the deck, dock or shore). They work because the majority of drowning victims are close to safety when they get into trouble.
IMPORTANT: Only skilled swimmers with proper training and equipment should attempt swimming rescues.
Reaching Assists with or without Equipment
If possible, reach for the victim with a piece of equipment like a pole, kickboard, or similar object. A drowning victim may or may not be able to grasp the object you extend.
- Reaching Assists Using Equipment (WIVB.com and the American Red Cross) — This video has an important message and examples of how to improvise a reaching assist from the deck or edge of the pool.
- Reach, Throw, Row, but Don’t Go (Army Corps of Engineers) — Great advice, especially for using small craft rescues.
- Reaching Assist Using a Shepherd’s Crook (or Body Hook) (Cooksey Lifeguard and Swim Company) -The shepherd’s crook is a preferred reaching device because of the blunt hook at one end which enabled the rescuer to “hook” the body of a victim who cannot grasp due to exhaustion, cold water, etc. You can even retrieve an unconscious submerged victim.
- Reaching Assist with a Noodle (Academy Swim Club) — This is the cutest assist of all!
Throwing Assists
If the victim is too far out to reach to with equipment, use a throwing device to rescue the victim.
- Swift-Water Rescue Using Throwing Assists (Downey, SFS, LA Co FDs)
- Using a Throw Bag — The throw bag is a great rescue device, inexpensive and easy to throw. The victim grabs the rope, not the bag, to be pulled into safety. As a bonus, here is a terrific video on Stuffing the Throw Bag by NRS.
- Throwing a Coiled Rope (NRS) — The coiled rope toss is a very simple way to get a line out to a drowning victim, especially for a second or subsequent toss. If you miss with the throw bag, you can retrieve the bag and turn the device around, step on the empty throw bag to anchor the rope, make coils with the other end, and throw.
- Throwing a Ring Buoy (Ashley Roberts).
- Completing a Speed Line Throw (RLSS UK)
