An eagle-eyed lifeguard has been praised for her super-quick reactions after spotting this child in trouble in a crowded wavepool.
The heroic rescue footage was uploaded to YouTube earlier this week by user Lifeguard Rescue and has since become an online hit.
In the footage, the pool is crowded with people – with some using rubber rings – as the wave machine turns on. Among a crowd of swimming, playing children, one young boy is tipped out of his ring by the strong current [just over 10 seconds into the clip] and falls off his floating tube.
Immediately, the lifeguard spots the boy is in danger as he flails his arms around in the water, trying to stay afloat and blows her whistle, leaping over the heads of other playing children to pluck the sinking boy up and carry him to safety.
The video has sparked discussions about the dangers of drowning and the timeless message is resonating anew this week.
SIGNS OF DROWNING
1. Drowning people are usually physiologically unable to call for help, with their body focusing on breathing
2. When drowning, a person’s mouth dips above and below the water
3. Drowning people cannot wave for help, as their instincts force them to place their arms flat on the water in an effort to maintain buoyancy
4. The instinctive drowning response is to remain in a vertical position
5. Drowning people may not thrash around in an obvious way with the physical struggle often taking place below the water’s surface
Would you know if someone was drowning?
