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Body contact swimming rescues--what are the risks?

A M Dahl and D I Miller

A survey of 482 lifeguards and Water Safety Instructors revealed that at least one-half had performed body contact swimming rescues (BCRs). Over two-thirds of these BCRs occurred when the lifesaver was relatively inexperienced in actual water rescues of any kind although virtually all rescuers had received formal lifesaving training. The victim tried to grasp the rescuer in 26 per cent of the BCRs which took place in swimming pools and 39 per cent of those occurring in lakes. Most of these attempts were made during the approach and were predominantly from the front, around the rescuer's head and neck or wrists and arms. Since the majority of victims were younger and smaller than their rescuers and got into difficulty less than 3 m from safety, only a small proportion of the grasps were perceived as endangering the lifesaver. Consequently, the victim was often permitted to retain the hold while being rescued. Grasps which were reported to be threatening tended to be applied by individuals of equal or larger physical size than the rescuer and usually occurred at distances exceeding 3 m from safety.