Any lifeguards have an important question?

Question

If someone is drowning and is going crazy (can potentially drown you if you get close) How do you immobilize him and save them?

Answer 1

If the person has enough fight to take you down, they will have enough strength to grab a buoy pushed to within their grasp.  I would keep them out of reach of me while I tried to talk them down from their hysterics.  If they were able to grab onto me and started fighting me, I'd take aggressive action to get away from them, even if that meant I had to hurt them by punching them or whatever.  I was a beach lifeguard for three season and we trained with buoys and paddle boards.  So essentially I never had to get that close to them.  Give them something else to grasp and you will be fine and can calm them down and get them to shore safely for both of you.  Always have a floatation device with you and avoid putting yourself in harms way unless it is absolutely necessary, which sometimes it is.

Answer 2

knock their *** out.

Answer 3

If they are going crazy, they are not likely to drown anytime soon.  Stay away from them (out of their reach), stay between them and safety and talk with them - that way, if they come towards you they will be also going to safety.  Talk with them and try to calm them.  If they are truly drowning (and not just panicking) then they will eventually become "much more mild" and you will be able to rescue them at that time...