Knock out a panicked swimmer?

Question

i was a life grad at a pool when i was younger back in 92 and 93 and they told me in training that if i had a panicked swimmer and he was pulling me under or climbing the ladder or they called it i was to knock him out so he would stop but today i was talking to a life grad and he said i was taught wrong but even cost grad rescue swimmers are taught the same thing so who is right ?

Answer 1

youre right. that would only hurt the swimmer.  the point is to save their lives not kill them. lol.  (hehe nonsense)

Answer 2

knock em cold if you have to.  i was taught that sometimes people in a life threatening situation will fight, that is what they are inherently going to do (its adrenaline).  we were taught two things, and i was an instructor for lifeguarding cpr/firstaid for the professional rescuer.  1) if you go to rescue someone and they resist/fight,  paddle away from them and let them tire out. go back and try again.  if it continues, either let them go under and pass out, then save them.  or 2) knock em out.  remember, the first thing they teach you is to not get yourself killed along with a distressed swimmer.  you can always save them once they are out.  i dont know that there is a right way, you will know when the situation presents itself.  but let me ask you, you go to save someone and they put you in a choke because they are freaking out, are you going to keep letting them choke you, or wait until they are not a threat to pull them out.  if you think about it, you will figure out what is right

Answer 3

Yes, this exact scenario is profiled in the movie The Guardian about Coast Guard Rescue swimmers. The Coast Guard worked closely with the filmmakers and knocking someone out is acceptable.

I think it depends on what the circumstances are. You're not supposed to put yourself out there if you can't handle the situation because then there's two people drowning.

I don't care what the Red Cross teaches now, if someone is physically overpowering you then you need to move away and save yourself or knock them the h**l out. Which brings us to my favorite line from the movie:

"The only difference between you and the victim is the attitude in which you enter the water." The moral of course is that they will panic and not be thinking clearly while you must remain calm no matter what.

Answer 4

ya dude....the victim is going to kill you trying to save his own life. hes not trying to but hes paniced and his survival instincts are taking over. you have to think abbout your own personal safety first. . . . personally i'd rather have a bloody nose than a funeral.....