Joyce Au, 11HBAquatics Assessment-Mr. May Aquatics Task Description: You will be given a scenario and some equipment. Your objective is to assess the situation and act accordingly. You will be asked to complete the scenario and then include a written evaluation describing: What you didThe order in which you rescued the casualtiesGive reasons behind your strategy.Consider your applications of the 3 A’s:AwarenessAssessment Action What would you do differently the next time if you could do this rescue over again? My situation: In my scenario, there were 3 types of people in difficulty: 1) A weak swimmer 2) An injured swimmer (injured leg) 3) An unconscious swimmer I was also given the following equipments: -a noodle float -a rope -a kick board A bystander was also present to assist me. The following table shows a list of steps taken during this process: Step numberWhat I did during the step:1As soon as the process started, I recognized that there was an unconscious, weak and injured swimmer. This was obvious from their positions in the
water. After recognizing that the different types of people in need, I began by immediately asking the bystander to help me call the ambulance and inform them that an injured and unconscious swimmer was present at Chinese International School. 2I decided to start off by helping the weak swimmer as she needed minimal help, having some experience with swimming and she was the nearest to shore. I was able to recognize that she was a weak swimmer as she was using her legs and arms for support. Her body was also at an angle to the surface facing the shore ...
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water. After recognizing that the different types of people in need, I began by immediately asking the bystander to help me call the ambulance and inform them that an injured and unconscious swimmer was present at Chinese International School. 2I decided to start off by helping the weak swimmer as she needed minimal help, having some experience with swimming and she was the nearest to shore. I was able to recognize that she was a weak swimmer as she was using her legs and arms for support. Her body was also at an angle to the surface facing the shore line and she was waving and calling for help. From my previous lessons, I had learnt that it was best to avoid physical contact with a weak swimmer as she may grasp tight onto you due to fear. Therefore, I threw a kickboard to her, instructing her to hold onto the kickboard and kick her way with her legs to the end of the pool. This avoided physical and accompanied contact. It was also simple for the weak swimmer, as she knew how to kick to shore. 3 (1st part)Having completed the phone call, I asked the bystander to help me by pulling the rope into a hoop, and throwing one end over to the injured swimmer to pull her in. It was evident that she was injured on her leg as she was in an awkward position in the water, grasping onto her leg, and this was affecting her ability to stay afloat in water. As the injury was on her leg, it did not affect her by allowing her to hold onto the rope, since it was not her arm that was injured. Her injury was not affecting her spine, and hence, I had learnt that it would be safer to avoid contact with the injured swimmer. By pulling her in with the rope, it eliminated the need for her to kick using her injured leg. I also told the injured swimmer to keep her arms wide to catch the rope and encouraged her to keep her head above the water and stay calm, and that help was on the way. 3 (2nd part)While my bystander was pulling in the injured swimmer, I dived into the pool and rescued the unconscious swimmer. I was able to tell that she was an unconscious as she was lying between the bottom and the surface, and her head was facing down. During my previous lessons, I learnt that immediate contact and support was necessary for an unconscious swimmer, therefore, I proceeded by flipping her face up above the surface of the water, and placing one hand below her chin above her neck. I used my other hand to side stroke back to shore. By simultaneously rescuing the two, less time was utilized and this enhanced the process of rescue. I ensured that the conscious swimmers were fine and that the unconscious swimmer was still breathing while waiting for the ambulance. The rescue was then complete. Evaluation of my process- What I could have done better: On the whole, I felt that I did reasonably well in the rescue. I managed to bring all the casualties back onto shore in the right sequence, prioritizing them in a way that they would be best rescued. I was also able to recognize their degree in urgency. However, if I were to commence this rescue once more, there would be several improvements that I would have to make. The first improvement that I would have to make is to make my transitions smoother. Before asking my bystander to help me rescue the injured swimmer, I was trying to untie the knot on the rope. However, after a few seconds, I realized that I was wasting time, and this was the time I told my bystander to help me rescue the injured swimmer. This delayed time in saving the unconscious, and she might have stopped breathing if I took too long. In addition, I should have provided more encouragement for the casualties. For the weak swimmer, I felt that I should have encouraged her that she would be fine. During the process, I did not provide much encouragement but rather only instructions. Improvements could also have been made during the process of rescuing the unconscious, such as checking that she was alive and breathing before bringing her back to shore. When I rescued the unconscious, I dived into the pool straight away and brought her to shore, forgetting to do the most basic checks. This would have been crucial in a real life situation as the casualty might have needed rescue breathing. Works Cited Noodle float. Photograph. World Of Stock. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. <http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/NWA1985.jpg>. PMI Water Rescue Rope. Photograph. BENMEADOWS.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. <http://www.benmeadows.com/store/Grounds_Maintenance/Arboriculture/Rope/22966/>. TYR Kickboard - Junior. Photograph. Swim-Shop. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. <http://www.swim-shop.com/product_info.php?products_id=33819>.
