RES CPR 12 Provide Community-Based Water Rescue Skills Training for Laypersons
Provide community-based opportunities for water rescue skills training for laypersons.
Spectrum level: Changing Organizational Practices Promoting Community Education
Evidence level: Medium
Rationale:
Bystanders with water safety training had made three times as many rescues in their lifetime than those without any water safety training. Improved public education strategies relating to bystander rescue scenarios could decrease drowning rates.
Anticipated Impact:
After implementing this recommendation, you can expect to experience the following outcomes. - Improved public education strategies relating to bystander rescue scenario used to decrease drowning rate
Evidence:
There is evidence that several aquatic rescues are performed by bystanders in Australia, and that, at times, bystanders will unfortunately drown in the process. It was found that the majority of bystander rescues described took place in coastal waterways (76.5%; n = 186), particularly beaches (n = 67), followed by pools (17.3%; n = 42) and inland waterways (6.2%; n = 15). The majority of respondents were males (64.2%; n = 156) who rescued on average approximately twice as many people in their lifetime (6.5) than female respondents (3.6). Most rescues occurred more than 1 km from lifeguard/lifesaver services (67%; n = 163), but in the presence of others (94.2%; n = 229). The majority of bystander rescuers had water safety training (65.8%; n = 160), self-rated as strong swimmers (68.3%; n = 166), conducted the rescue without help from others (60%; n = 146), did not use a flotation device to assist (63%; n = 153), but were confident in their ability to make the rescue (76.5%; n = 186). However, most considered the situation to be very serious (58%; n = 141) and felt they had saved a life (70.1%; n = 172). With the exception of pools, most bystanders rescued strangers (76.1%; n = 185). Bystanders alone saved over 200 lives. Bystanders with water safety training had made three times as many rescues in their lifetime than those without any water safety training. Brander and Warton found that bystander rescuers with prior water safety training are more likely to use a flotation device when attempting a rescue.However many who perform bystander rescues in Australian aquatic environments do not have any water safety skills.
Evidence Sources:
Characteristics of Aquatic Rescues Undertaken by Bystanders in Australia https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30763388/
Who rescues who? Understanding aquatic rescues in Australia using coronial data and a survey https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12900
Dying to help: Fatal bystander rescues in Australian coastal environments https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0238317
High Risk Populations Addressed:
Populations whose risk of drowning decreases the most with the implementation of this recommendation may have one or more of the following characteristics:
- Males
- Youth and adolescents
Evaluation Metrics:
Indicators of long-term impact:
- Increased access to and knowledge of survival and rescue skills training for bystanders.
- An increase in the water safety and drowning prevention competency of bystanders.
- A greater amount of successful rescues performed by bystanders.
- More lives saved due to safer, more effective rescue by bystanders.
Implementation:
Consider the following to ensure successful implementation: - Provide training in a variety of languages and with visuals to meet all individuals regardless of language, learning style, reading ability, etc. - Discuss implementation of training with all possible audiences. - Ensuring access to the proper facilities and training professionals.
Challenges to Implementation:
When implementing this recommendation, you might encounter challenges related to the following factors: - There may be limited funding, resources, or infrastructure to support. - Lack of trained professionals or facilities to perform training. - Push back from parents/administrators - Inconsistent messaging - Discrimination due to religion or culture, and access to aquatic participation outside of school. - Parents and/or cultural customs might not support swimming or influence who participates.
Potential Facilitators:
The following factor might facilitate the implementation of this recommendation. - Community support for the training of bystanders. - Cultural changes that begin to place greater value on safe rescue and the building of safe rescue skills by bystanders. - Acquisition of sustainable funding to support efforts. - Park and Recreation directors build relationships and support training programs.
GAP Recommendation:
All schools do not require students to learn or participate in aquatics skills even though a child's only opportunity to learn aquatic survivability skills might be through exposure during school. Evidence identifying the exact skills that work and what age is appropriate to teach the skills.