Medi Response paramedics treating the patient in Balito. Photo: Medi Response/ Facebook.
A KwaZulu-Natal man can count himself lucky after a quick emergency response following his near-death experience in Balito
Medi Response paramedics treating the patient in Balito. Photo: Medi Response/ Facebook.
A KwaZulu-Natal man can count himself lucky after a quick emergency response following his near-death drowning incident.
Earlier today, 6 November, Medi Response responded to a non-fatal drowning of a man in Ballito, north of the province.
“A short while ago, Medi Response search and rescue responded to Clarke Bay tidal pool for reports of a drowning. On arrival, a male was found to be unresponsive and lifeguards were performing CPR on him,” the company reported.
“The man was successfully resuscitated by lifeguards.”
Medi Response
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On arrival of Medi Response advanced life support paramedics, interventions were initiated as the man was in a critical condition.
“Reports indicate that the man had been swimming in the tidal pool when he became unresponsive and drowned. A member of the public noticed this and got the attention of a passing KDM lifeguard, who was on patrol. The lifeguard pulled the man from the water and initiated CPR,” Medi Response further reported.
“An excellent job done by the lifeguard resulted in a good outcome. Well done to all involved,” the company lauded the lifeguards.
Avoid Drowning by adhering to these simple rules, courtesy of wikiHow:
Don’t fall in!
Any body of water can have hazards associated with it, and it is important to keep track of your surroundings.
Swim with friends
One of the best ways to avoid getting into trouble is to swim with other people. This applies to all environments, either at home or in natural bodies of water. Swimming with companions allows for a much faster response rate if anyone gets into trouble.
Remain aware of your surroundings
Be sure to keep track of everyone you are swimming with. If someone disappears they may need assistance; you should be ready to help as effectively as possible.
Provide adult supervision to any children when around water
Children can easily get into a situation they cannot get out of, so be sure to keep close watch over children when near water
Be aware of your abilities, and the abilities of those you are swimming with
Make sure that weak swimmers are provided with flotation devices. It is also important to know if any of your companions have a seizure disorder. A seizure while in the water can be very dangerous, and greatly increase the possibility of drowning.