WASSAR

WATER SAFETY,
SEARCH AND RESCUE

I – INTRODUCTION
(General Definitions)
WATER SAFETY –A freedom from danger
while in water.
-Protection from or not being exposed
to the risk of harm or injury.
SURVIVAL ON WATER – Staying alive in
water for an indefinite period of time.
It requires ability to swim, float, tread,
block and escape from any possible
danger, and appropriate skills to use
water survival devices.
SEARCH– To find a victim in the water using
search pattern techniques. It may be in the
surface or in underwater.
- Sweep Search
- U-Search
- Circular Search
- Strip Search
RESCUE– remove somebody from danger:
to save somebody or something from a
dangerous or harmful situation.
SWIMMING
- Is one of the best forms of exercise and relax.
- It is a form of exercise that burns a lot of
calories.
- increases your cardiovascular fitness levels, and
improves muscular endurance and strength.
- It does not impact the joints due to water
supporting the weight.
- Refreshes and cools during hot weather.
SAFETY RULES IN SWIMMING
1. (Pool) No running, horse playing, spitting in

the entire area.
2. No valuables.
3. Always swim with buddy.
4. No one should swim at break time.
5. Obey instructor’s whistle and sign language.
PERSONAL HEALTH TIPS
1. Drink plenty of water, fruit juices and take

Vitamins C tablet.
2. Avoid smoking, drinking liquor and soft drinks.
3. Avoid heavy meals.
4. Don’t swim immediately (30min)
5. Sleep early.
6. Take Warm-up, take rest.
7. Take shower before going to swim.
Why take a shower?
1. To lower body heat and balanced with water
temperature.
2. To avoid sudden chilling followed by
numbness.
3. To avoid headaches and complete collapse.
4. To avoid visualizing rainbow and cloudy
environment.
MOST COMMON CAUSES OF WATER ACCIDENTS
1. Enthusiasm, exceeding swimming skills.

2. Face saving, taking dares, showing off.
3. Swimming and wading alone.
4. Cramps.
5. Panic.
Cramps – A painful muscle contraction. the
sudden contraction of muscles that become
tight and hard and inhibit movements
usually caused by fatigue or over exertion. It
occurs mostly in the foot, legs, thigh and
fingers.
Panic – Overpowering fear or anxiety.

Unreasonable and overwhelming fear which
attacks the swimmer in the face of fancy
drowning or real danger.
II – BASIC WIMMING
SKILLS
A. BREATHING
1. Breath Holding – Face fully submerged and hold breath at
least 10 seconds.
2. Rhythmic Breathing – Alternately inhale through the mouth
above the water surface and exhale through the
mouth and nose with head completely
submerged. 10 times rhythmically and
continuously.
B. FLOATS
1. Dead-man prone float
2. Dead-man supine
3. Turtle Float
4. Jelly Fish Float
5. Bottle Float
C. GLIDE
1. Single kick prone glide
2. Single kick supine glide
3. Flutter kick prone glide
D. WATER ENTRY (1m-high)

1. Feet-First
2. Shallow Dive
3. Head First
4. Giant stride
D. SURFACE DIVES
1. Head-first surface dive
2. Feet-first surface dive
E. SWIMMING STROKES
1. Free Style
2. Breast Stroke
3. Elementary Back Stroke
4. Side Stroke
E. TREADING WATER
- 30 minutes
- 45 minutes
- 1 hour
F. 25 METERS UNDERWATER SWIM

- to escape from a flaming surface of the water.
III – RECOGNIZING A
SWIMMER IN DISTRESS
►IF YOU ENCOUNTER A SWIMMER IN DISTRESS,
“REMAIN CALM AND THINK”.
The following are the detailed descriptions of the 3 states by

which a swimmer may present.
A. DISTRESSED SWIMMER
1. Distressed swimmer makes a little or no forward
motion and cannot reach safety without help.
- can breath and call for help
- be able to scull, float, tread water and wave for help.
B. ACTIVE DROWNING VICTIM
1. An active drowning victim struggles at the water surface.

- struggles to breath and cannot call for help.
- both arms and hands are on sides and press down
without supporting kick.
- the body is in vertical position.
- has no forward motion and has only 20-60 seconds to
submerge.
C. PASSIVE DROWNING VICTIM
1. A passive drowning victim may float face down the
surface and gradually sink to the bottom.
- generally not breathing.
- no arms or legs action and appears to be unconscious.
The following causes may result to a passive drowning situation:

a. Heart attack or stroke
b. Seizure
c. Head or spine injury
d. Breathing failure due to inhalation of air with water.
IV – GENERAL
RESCUE METHODS
GENERAL RESCUE METHODS
The hierarchy of responses are REACH, THROW, ROW and GO.
A. REACHING ASSIST – First and safest option to help a victim.

- effective if close to a dock or the edge of a pool.
- include the use of human chain, stick, pole, towel, t-shirt, or piece
of rescue equipment.
- Proper reaching assist is to keep the center of gravity low.
B. THROWING ASSIST
3 ways to consider in performing throwing assist.
1. keep control of the near end of the object being thrown.

2. throw rescue equipment beyond the victim.
3. do not hit the victim.
4. keep center of gravity low as you tow the victim.
C. ROWING ASSIST
- being performed if reaching and throwing assist is impossible
due to victim’s location.
- Rowing assists are generally performed at waterfront areas.
- the most common pieces of equipment used for rowing assists
are boats, or rescue boats.
D. SWIMMING ASSIST (GO)
- the most dangerous rescue method.
- can be used to rescue most victims in most situations.
- avoid performing swimming assist if the condition may place
the rescuer at significant risk.
- it is recommended that the rescuer may always take a piece of
rescue equipment while performing a swimming assist.
SWIMMING ASSISTS SKILLS:
1. Wrist towing 8. *Chin Pull Carry

2. Line Rescue 9. *Armpit Carry
3. Collar tow rescue 10. *Cross Chest Carry
4. Shirt tail rescue 11. *Tired swimmer carry
5. 1-man assist (Underarm swim along)
6. 2-man assist * The most advanced swimming assist techniques
VICTIM APPROACH
1. Front Surface
2. Front Underwater
3. Back Surface
4. Back Underwater
5. Submerged Victim
REMOVAL FROM WATER:
1. Drag
2. Saddle back carry
3. Pier or pool side
4. Aid to suspected victim of spinal injury
V – DEFENSES AND
PERSONAL SURVIVAL
DEFENSES
A. BLOCK - when a victim tries to grab the rescuer, the first

option is to block, then push the victim and swims away
under water.
B. RELEASE- this technique shall be used when the victim

holds tightly in the rescuer’s hand, neck, waist, foot.
C. ESCAPE- the best way to escape is to swim underwater.

PERSONAL SURVIVAL
► Advanced swimming skills are very important in water survival.
The following survival skills can be used to stay alive in water surface
for an indefinite period of time.
SURVIVAL SKILLS:
1. Treading
2. Floating
3. Clothing inflation (pants, shirts)
4. 1-mile swim
NOTE: Combination of three skills is necessary. Use arms and legs

alternately to avoid over-exertion that resulted to muscle cramps.
Thank You!
INSP DAN ROMULO A CACERES, BFP

WASSAR

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WATER SAFETY,

SEARCH AND RESCUE

1. (Pool) No running, horse playing, spitting in

1. Drink plenty of water, fruit juices and take

1. Enthusiasm, exceeding swimming skills.

Panic – Overpowering fear or anxiety.

D. WATER ENTRY (1m-high)

F. 25 METERS UNDERWATER SWIM

The following are the detailed descriptions of the 3 states by

1. An active drowning victim struggles at the water surface.

The following causes may result to a passive drowning situation:

A. REACHING ASSIST – First and safest option to help a victim.

3 ways to consider in performing throwing assist.

1. keep control of the near end of the object being thrown.

1. Wrist towing 8. *Chin Pull Carry

A. BLOCK - when a victim tries to grab the rescuer, the first

B. RELEASE- this technique shall be used when the victim

C. ESCAPE- the best way to escape is to swim underwater.

NOTE: Combination of three skills is necessary. Use arms and legs

INSP DAN ROMULO A CACERES, BFP

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