The difference between a swimmer in distress and a person actively drowning is often overlooked, yet recognizing this distinction is paramount for water safety. Contrary to dramatic on-screen depictions, a person who is actively drowning rarely calls for help or thrashes violently, making the emergency easy to miss. Understanding the clear, observable signs of both distress and the physiological response of drowning provides bystanders with the knowledge to intervene quickly and appropriately.
Recognizing Swimmer Distress
A swimmer in distress is a person who is struggling but still maintains some voluntary control over their movements and breathing. This individual is capable of calling out for assistance, which is the most obvious sign of their struggle. Their head remains mostly above the water, allowing them to vocalize their need for help.
They may be treading water vertically with significant effort, often making little or no forward progress. The distressed swimmer can usually use their arms to wave or signal to people on the shore or deck. They still possess the ability to reach out and grasp a flotation device or a rescue pole thrown to them.
Identifying the Instinctive Drowning Response
Active drowning is characterized by what water safety experts call the Instinctive Drowning Response, a set of involuntary, physiological actions named by Frank Pia. This response is almost always silent because speech is suppressed when the respiratory system prioritizes breathing. The person’s mouth will alternately sink below and reappear above the water’s surface, leaving no time for a proper exhale, inhale, and call for help.
The body remains upright and vertical in the water, appearing as if the person is treading water, but without an effective supporting kick. The arms are extended laterally and pressed down on the water’s surface to leverage the mouth high enough to breathe. This involuntary action means the person cannot voluntarily wave for help, move toward a rescuer, or grab rescue equipment. The struggle is brief, lasting only 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
Immediate Steps for Intervention and Rescue
The appropriate response depends entirely on whether the person is in distress or actively drowning, with speed being the determining factor for a positive outcome. For a swimmer in distress, intervention involves verbal instruction and safely providing a means of flotation or support. Since they can still assist in their own rescue, a bystander should extend a long object like a pole or throw a ring buoy or other flotation device.
For a person exhibiting the silent, vertical posture of the Instinctive Drowning Response, the situation requires immediate emergency action. The first step is to activate the emergency action plan by shouting for someone to call 911 or the local emergency number. The safest principle for bystanders is “Reach, Throw, Row, Don’t Go,” meaning rescue should be attempted without entering the water, as entering risks the bystander being grabbed and pulled under. If the person is safely removed from the water and is unresponsive, rescue breathing and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be started immediately.