Beyond Drowning: Other Emergencies That Happen Around Pools

Drowning is the emergency every pool owner thinks about, and rightly so. It is not the only one. A backyard pool combines water, hard surfaces, stored chemicals and a group of people of very different ages, which produces a range of incidents that first aid training prepares you for.

Head, neck and spinal injuries from diving

Diving into shallow water is a well known cause of serious neck injury in Australia. If someone has hit their head and is still in the water, support their head and neck in line with their body and keep their face clear of the water while you call for help. Avoid dragging them out by the arms if there is any alternative. If they are unresponsive and not breathing normally, resuscitation still takes priority over protecting the spine, because a person who is not breathing will not survive long enough for the neck injury to matter.

Cold water and hypothermia

Unheated pools in early summer are colder than most people expect, and children lose heat far faster than adults because of their body surface area. Shivering that stops, confusion, clumsiness and slurred speech are all warning signs. Move the person somewhere warm, remove wet clothing, wrap them in something dry and warm them gradually. Avoid hot showers and vigorous rubbing, because sudden rewarming can cause problems with heart rhythm.

Pool chemicals

Chlorine, acid and other pool chemicals burn skin and eyes and are dangerous if inhaled or swallowed. Flush the affected area with cool running water for at least twenty minutes and call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26. Store chemicals locked away, never mix them, and keep container labels intact so that the emergency service can identify exactly what was involved.

Cardiac events

Pools are used by grandparents and by adults exerting themselves in the heat. A sudden collapse at the poolside is more likely to be a cardiac arrest than a drowning, and the treatment differs slightly. Start compressions immediately and get a defibrillator onto the person as soon as one is available. For every minute that passes without defibrillation, the chance of survival falls significantly.

One course covers all of it

These situations sound very different, but the underlying assessment is the same in each case. Our Provide First Aid course teaches a single approach you can apply to any casualty, then covers the specific management for burns, spinal injury, shock and cardiac emergencies. Book a session near you.