Water safety
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Recognize that drowning is frequently quiet; the victim may appear to be treading water or concentrating instead of waving or shouting.
In most cases, a person who is drowning cannot physically call for assistance.
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Ask someone in the water if they are okay; if they do not reply, assume they are in trouble because they cannot breathe if they cannot talk.
If you can cough or talk, you can breathe.
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Keep air in your lungs while floating on your back to maintain buoyancy.
Air floats; exhaling causes immediate sinking, especially for those with low body fat.
3 people, independently
If you are disoriented and upside down in a boating accident, relax and float to the surface rather than panicking.
Panic can be fatal; relaxing allows you to float up.
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Swim diagonally across currents to save energy by letting the current help you.
The current helps you.
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If you are in doubt about whether someone is drowning, pull them out of the water.
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Do not rely on bystanders to notice a drowning incident, as people nearby may fail to realize it is happening until it is too late.
3 people, independently
If children playing in the water go quiet, immediately find them to determine why.
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Look for people who are vertical in the water without using their legs, appearing to climb an invisible ladder while pressing their arms down on the surface.
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