When a drowning occurs, CPR can mean the difference between life and death. With quick thinking and proper training, any person can save a life when facing drowning danger. Read on to learn more.

Understanding the Importance of CPR for Water Safety

On Sunday, February 5th an 11-month-old boy was found face down in his backyard swimming pool in Queensland, Australia. The Daily Mail reports that the infant was underwater for about two minutes. When his parents found him, they administered CPR immediately. When emergency services arrived, he was breathing. The boy was in critical condition when paramedics transferred him to the hospital. Luckily, his condition improved overnight and he is now considered stable.

When a drowning has occurred, every second counts.

  • Those who drown and are under water for 2 minutes have a 94% survival rate.
  • At 3 minutes the heart stops.
  • At 4 minutes irreversible brain damage occurs.
  • …and after 10 minutes, there is only a 14% survival rate.

If his parents did not know CPR and weren’t able to get him breathing as they waited for paramedics, his survival rate would have drastically decreased. This story is a great example of why knowing CPR matters. It saved this child from irreversible brain damage and even worse, death.

CPR in practice

How Can You Find a CPR Class? 

Life Saver Pool Fence strongly encourages all parents, even if they do not own a pool, to get CPR certified. It is also a good idea to make sure that your babysitters and any other caregivers are trained as well. CPR classes are very likely available in your local town. To find a class, you can visit The American Red Cross at www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr. These classes take just a few hours and can make all of the difference to someone in need. If the American Red Cross does not offer CPR classes in your area, you can contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS to find an organization near you that offers American Red Cross-approved courses.

CPR Training

While classes are sometimes offered online, Life Saver Pool Fence encourages parents to take CPR classes in person. While online classes offer all of the information and techniques, it lacks one important thing – practice. The physical act of practicing CPR supports muscle memory. If your child has drowned, you will have a “fight or flight” response. Much like self defense courses, when you are put into a life threatening situation your muscle memory skills will activate. Most online classes do not support the muscle memory technique. If you are unable to attend in person, be sure to practice your skills. Use your child’s doll or even a stuffed animal, but keep practicing and activate that muscle memory!

Keep Your CPR Skills Up to Date 

Use it or lose it! Did you know that CPR certification should be renewed every 2 years? According to the American Red Cross, recertification courses allow you to “refresh your memory, renew your skills and stay current with the latest techniques.” Keeping up to date is the best way to hone your skills. This means becoming certified and then becoming re-certified over time can keep you in the game. It’s the safest plan when it comes to water safety.

In the Meantime

You never know when a drowning can occur. While you wait for your class to begin, here is a great American Red Cross-approved tip:

Provide hands-only chest compressions of 100-120 a minute until paramedics arrive. One sure-fire way to get the timing right: as you are giving compressions, hum along to our favorite life saving song, “Stayin’ Alive” by the BeeGees!. Don’t stop until the paramedics have arrived! 

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive.