Bali is synonymous with beautiful beaches, namely Lovina Beach, Batu Bolong Beach, Melasti Beach, Balangan Beach, and others. The beaches present stunning views like sunsets and offer myriad activities you can try.
Various activities such as snorkeling, diving, surfing, and other Bali water sports have many enthusiasts. But sometimes, many visitors need more skills to swim in the sea to do these water activities because swimming in the open ocean is very different from swimming in an ordinary pool which tends to be calmer. So not a few had trouble swimming and then drowned by the waves.
If you are on vacation to the beach in Bali or elsewhere and spot someone about to drown, you should follow these steps to help them.
Ask for Help from People Around You.
Without thinking, you should immediately shout to attract the attention of others to help the drowning person together. Although you can swim in certain conditions, some people cannot carry or pull victims from the waves. So invite other people as many as possible and contact the lifeguard immediately.
Look for Tools to Help.
If you are confident enough and are trained to help the victim by swimming, do it immediately. But if in doubt, find tools such as wood, rope, or anything the victim can reach. So they can float and be pulled from the currents of the waves.
Check Their Breathing
If the victim has been rescued, check their breathing. If water has entered the lungs, this is already dangerous. Immediately lay them down on a flat surface with a prone position. Then check for breathing by bringing your ear or cheek to the victim’s nose and mouth. Feel if a puff of air comes out of the nose or mouth. You can also check his chest movements, whether they are still moving up and down or not. If the victim shows no respiratory signs, check the pulse at the neck for 10 seconds.
Perform CPR
CPR, or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is a technique of compressing the chest and giving artificial respiration if Breathing stops. CPR has three stages known as C-A-B or Compression – Airways – Breathing. The initial stage is compression or putting pressure on the victim’s chest. The trick, place one of your palms overlapping locks with the other palm on the midline between the nipples on the chest. Apply deep, firm pressure with a metronome-like rhythm. To make it easier, you can take the tone “A a a a” in the song Stayin’ Alive by Bee Gees because the rhythm is quite similar. Do it until the medics come or until you are tired.
If compression doesn’t work, you can open the airways by placing your hand on the victim’s forehead and slowly lifting their chin. After that, do breathing by pinching the victim’s nose and positioning your mouth to the victim’s mouth. After that, blow out two puffs of air from your mouth.