BUTUAN CITY COLLEGES

BCC BLDG., MONTILLA BLVD., BUTUAN CITY

E-mail: butuancitycollegesbc@gmail.com
Contact No: |   (085) 300-1337   |   09125315725

FIRST AID AND WATER SURVIVAL

SEMI-FINAL

P (1-4 weeks)

E
3
Prepared By: Nellrose B. Emlano
Instructor

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I. WATER SAFETY AND SURVIVAL
Introduction
This part involves safety and survival involving aquatic
environment. Water safety depends on several factors, such as
individual’s ability to swim well enough to care one’s self in
ordinary conditions, the ability to recognize and avoid
hazardous water conditions and practices, and the ability to use
rescue skills for dangerous situations. (Bustria, 2011)
Definition of Terms
1. Swimming is a form of exercise that involves stokes and
movements that allow a person to move on or under the
surface of the water.
2. Water Safety refers to the knowledge and ability of an
individual about normal aquatic situations and how to
avoid or manage dangerous situations.
3. Drowning simply means the suffocation in the water.
4. Wave is a surge traveling on the surface of the water from
small ripples to huge ocean waves, usually caused by
wind.
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5. Current is the flowing movement of a large volume of
water.
6. Hazard is something with a potential to cause harm.
How to Swim?
Swimming may appear scary if you’ve never learned how
to do it, but it’s possible to learn it. Here’s how to get
started.
Steps
1. Let go of your fear. A lot of people put off learning how to
swim because they’re afraid of drowning. While drowning
does occur, most of them could have been prevented with
a few simple safety measures. Follow these guidelines
whenever you’re swimming, and your odds of drowning
will decrease dramatically.
a. Never swim alone. Always go swimming with at least one
person who is trained swimmer, if not several other
people.
b. Don’t start out swimming in moving water. If you’re
learning to swim in an ocean or river, you’ll need to be
more aware of the motion of the water. If you must learn
to swim this way, try to make sure you’re with someone
who knows what he or she is doing and be sure to read
the step about getting out riptide or a rushing river.
c. Stay within a depth you can handle. When you are first
learning how to swim, don’t venture into water that’s too
 deep for you to stand in. That way, if something goes
amiss, you can simply stand up and breathe.
d. Never swim during inclement weather condition.
Swimming in a light rain shower should be fine, but if
you see and hear a storm approaching, get out the water
immediately. This rule is to be followed regardless of how
well you can swim.
e. Don’t swim in water that’s too cold. Moving your limbs to
paddle can become suddenly difficult if you’re in frigid
water.
2. Get used to floating. When you are in the water hold on to
the side of the pool or a dock, and let your legs float out
behind you- they should lift easily if you let them.
BEGINNING STROKES AND TREADING WATER
Practice doing this on your stomach and on your back,
until you are comfortable letting half of your body float.
Try floating on your back or your stomach as soon you
are ready. Stay in a shallow depth so that you can simply
stand up if it’s not working out. It might feel weird to have
water around your ears while your nose and mouth are in
the air, but you’ll get used to it. For extra stability, put
out your arms at a straight angle so that your body is in T
shape position.
3. Don’t Panic. Always remember that you have a fall back if
you’re in an unmanageable depth or you simply can’t
move your limbs- floating on your back. Don’t flail around
or start breathing quickly if you can’t swim simply lie
back as flat as you can, and let the water carry you while
you regain your composure.
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4. Practice Exhaling Underwater. While you are still in a
shallow depth, take a depth breath and put your face
underwater. Slowly exhale out your nose until you are out
of breath, then come back up. If you are uncomfortable
exhaling through your nose, you can hold it closed or
wear nose plug and exhale through your mouth.
5. Wear goggles. Wearing goggles can help you feel more
comfortable opening your eyes underwater, and might
allow you to see clearly. Find a pair with spongy circles
around the eye and dip them in the water so that they
will stick to your skin. Tighten the strap around the back
of your head so that the goggles fit snugly.
1. Practice kicking your legs. Whether you are floating
on your back or still holding on to the side of the
pool, you can practice kicking.
a. Try a flutter kick. Point your toes out like a ballerina,
keep your legs mostly straight, and alternate legs as you
make a small kicks. You should feel the most flexion in
your ankles.
b. Try a whip kick. Keep your legs held tightly together
from your hips to your knees and from your knees to your
ankles. Bend your knees so that your shins come up to
about a 90 degree angle then quickly bring your shins
apart and move them in a circular motion, keeping your
thighs together the whole time.
c. Egg beater kick. This kick is commonly used to tread
water, and stay in a vertical position with your head and
shoulder above water. Start with your knees bent and
your legs slightly wider than hip width apart. Then pedal
each leg as you would on a bike, only they will go in
opposite directions. While one leg pedals forward the
other leg should pedal backward, this one takes some
practice to get used to but it’s handy for resting when
your feet can’t touch bottom.
2. Learn how to do crawl. Crawls are great strokes to
learn as a beginner, and they will move you pretty
quickly. Here’s how to do them.
a. Try a backstroke first. Float flat on your back and do a
flutter kick with your legs. With your arms, do the crawl
motion, lifting one arm straight into air and keeping it
BEING PREPARED FOR UNLIKELY SITUATIONS
straight as it enters the water next to your head. Once it
is underwater, bend it to bring it back to a straight
position next to your side and repeat.
b. Try a front stroke/ also known as freestyle or
American crawl. Floating on your stomach, do a flutter
kick with your legs and use arms to crawl forward. Bring
one arm out of the water so that its reaching forward,
then bring it back down and use your cupped hand to
push the water behind you. Alternate arms. To breathe,
turn your head to one side under the arm that is
currently crawling, lifting enough for you to take breath.
Take a breath under the same arm each time, so that you
are breathing once every two strokes.
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3. Tread Water. Treading water can help you catch your
breath and keep your head up without actually
swimming. Do the eggbeater kick listed above, and
use your hands to keep your balance by sculling- keep
you’re forearms flat on the surface of the water, and
imagine they’re butter knives spreading on a piece of
toast. Move one arm in a clockwise circle and the
other arm in a counter clockwise circle.
4. Use your arms to come up from the bottom. If you are
below water and would like to come up, use your arms
to propel yourself. Put them straight, up above your
head and quickly bring them down to your sides. This
should push up a few feet. Repeat until you break the
surface
1. Know how to get out of a riptide. If you are swimming
in the ocean, you might get caught in a riptide.
Knowing what to do can save your life, so try to
memorize these steps before you get in to water.
a. Do not panic. This is by far, the most important step of
all. By flailing and panicking, you could actually keep
yourself under water.
b. Swim sideways. Do not try to swim directly to shore or
directly out further into the ocean, instead, try to swim in
a line that’s exactly parallel to the shoreline.
c. Swim in a stroke that allows you to breathe. Swim with
the strongest stroke you can do that also allows you
 plenty of room to breathe. This might be a sidestroke, BASICS OF SWIMMING
front crawl, or breast stroke.
1. BREATHING is the process of taking air into the lungs
d. Keep swimming until you’re out of the riptide. You might
and pushing it out again. There are two types of
have to swim quite far before you are safely out of the
breathing when swimming. Surface breathing is the
riptide, but keep going. You don’t want to undo the good
normal kind of breathing where we inhale through our
work you have done so far by heading for shore at the
nose and exhale through the nose or mouth. The
wrong time.
second is the Reverse Breathing, used in swimming
e. If possible call out for help. If you can, motion to lifeguard
whereby the simmer inhales through the mouth and
or yell help! As soon as possible. However, don’t do this if
exhales slowly through the nose.
it means sacrificing A BREATH or if you have to stop
2. FLOATING. This refers to remaining at or above the
swimming- it is better to keep yourself moving.
surface of the water in order to continue breathing
2. Know how to get out of a river current. If you are caught
normally or rest from swimming. Survival Floating is
in a river that is flowing too quickly or pushing you
also known as the Dead Man’s Float where the
under, follow these steps to get out.
swimmer is lying face down on the water with
a. Don’t fail or panic. As a RIPTIDE, panicking and flailing
minimal or no leg movement, and staying afloat with
your limbs can push you deeper in to the water. Try to
natural buoyancy. The swimmer should lift the head
take even breathes and remain calm.
occasionally to breathe.
b. Aim to swim diagonally toward the shoreline. Swimming
3. BACK FLOATING. Is lying face up on the water with
toward the shoreline at a 90 degree angle will force you to
minimal leg and arm movement. Breathe naturally
fight with the current too much, and might cause you to
since the face is above the water surface.
become exhausted quickly. Instead, plan to get to the
4. WATER TREADING. Is where the swimmer is in the
shoreline at a diagonal angle that goes with the current.
water with his head above the water and the rest of
c. Don’t try to swim upstream. you will spend too much
his body is under. This is an aspect of swimming that
energy for not enough results. Only try to swim upstream
involves a swimmer staying in a vertical position in
if there is immediate danger downstream, such as sharp
the water while keeping his or her head above the
rocks or a waterfall.
surface. This is basically any movement such as kicks
and hand movements that allows the swimmer to
remain afloat. The most common form of water

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 treading is generally referred to as the egg beater
because the circular movement of the legs resembles
the motion of an egg beater.
5. Water Safety. Since aquatic environments are not the
natural environments for people safety precautions
must be observed while swimming.
a. Know about the area you are swimming in, especially
if it is in a natural setting such as a river, lake or sea.
Know whether there are hazards present such as
currents or animals. Do not swim if there are hazards
present.
b. Do not swim alone. Always swim with a buddy or a
group preferably with someone who also knows about
swimming and water rescue.
c. Note the time and the temperature. If it is too hot or
too cold to swim, then do not attempt it.
d. Know your limits. If the currents or waves are too
strong even for a skilled swimmer, or if the water is too
deep, do not swim in that area.
e. Stay out of the water if you have any health problems.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
f. Perform diving only in appropriate depths to avoid
injury.
g. Do not attempt to rescue a near drowning person if
you do not know how to swim well. Call for help
instead.
HAZARDS IN THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
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For every type of environment, there are always relative
hazards for people. Since aquatic environment is not the
natural environment for humans, there are more hazards
in environment than in others.
Even if one is already trained swimmer, he or she may
still experience these dangers when the situation arises.
Hazards may either be personal such as cramps or
panicking, or environmental such as waves, currents and
aquatic creatures.
CRAMPS
Cramps are sudden and involuntary contraction of a
muscle usually affects muscles between two joints.
Cramps usually caused by three things: dehydration or
Electrolyte loss, overexertion of the muscle or exhaustion
and unnecessary tension.
Management of Cramps
1. Prevent muscle cramps by stretching the muscles to
be used in swimming, such as the arms and legs,
before going in the water.
2. Cramps may also be prevented by having a proper
meal and drink before swimming.
 3. When cramps occur while swimming, minimize the
activity on the affected muscle and get out of the
water.
4. If getting out of the water immediately is difficult,
perform survival floating and stretch muscle until it
relaxes, then proceed to the task of getting out of the
water.
5. If cramps persist, call for help. Continue performing
survival floating while waiting to rescue.
EXHAUSTION
Exhaustion occurs when the body’s energy has run out and
the swimmer has lost the ability to move his or her body
enough to continue swimming. There are a lot of factors
that may cause swimming exhaustion, including lack of
proper nutrition, stress, sleeplessness, and swimming
without conditioning the lungs and muscles.
Management of Exhaustion
1. If the swimmer is too tired to swim he or she should
simply perform survival floating to recover some energy
needed to swim back to safety.
2. The swimmer should not panic since this will expend
more energy and he or she may lose consciousness. He or
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she should slowly and steadily make his or her way back
to safety.
WAVES
Waves are ridges or swells on the surface of a body of water,
normally having a forward motion. They are unpredictable
even in good conditions thus swimmers should take caution
when entering water with waves.
Management of Waves
1. The power of a wave is at its peak when it breaks in
shallow water. At this point, the water in front is sucked
up into a wave form. The swimmer should use this force
and dive forward and under the wave. He or she will
simply rise up right behind the wave as it breaks.
2. Do not panic as this may lead to exhaustion and the
waves will overcome you.
3. Look for channels, which are the narrow and usually
deeper areas where waves aren’t breaking, and where the
incoming water has to escape back out to sea. Do not
swim against the channel.
4. Concentrate on breathing. Do not inhale huge amounts of
air, because you will find it harder to dive under the
waves.
 5. If these attempts fail, call for a needed help.
MARINE LIFE
There are animals that consider water as their natural
habitat. If a person happens to disturb their defense
mechanisms that may harm the swimmer. Sea urchins,
sting rays, and jellyfish each has its own defense
mechanism against possible dangers. The poisonous venom
from a sea urchin or a jellyfish, or a powerful electrical
current from a sting ray, may cause death for some
persons. Sharks are hazard if one swims in the sea or ocean.
Management of Marine Life
1. Know the area. If there are sharks, sea urchins, jelly
fish, or sting rays, do not attempt to swim.
2. For a sea urchin sting, try to remove the spines with
your hand wrapped around a clean cloth. Neutralize
the injury with vinegar then soak in warm water.
Monitor the area for a few days after the injury. Seek
medical help if the stings did not heal for the next few
days.
3. For jellyfish stings, the first thing to do is not and get
out of the water immediately. Do not touch the
affected area with your hands. Wash the area with salt
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water to remove the remaining tentacles. You may
also scrape them off with an ID CARD. Deactivate the
stingers and the venom by applying vinegar, then
baking soda after. Ice may be applied to slow the
circulation of the venom. Take antihistamines in case
of allergic reactions. Seek medical attention if the
victim is having trouble breathing or has other
symptoms.
4. Seek medical attention immediately for sting rays or
shark attacks.
II. WATER SEARCH AND RESCUE
1. ASSESS THE SITUATION
a. Remain calm and plan the rescue.
b. Determine the position of the victim and note the
safety of that area for the rescuers. Do not attempt to
rescue if the area is dangerous even for skilled
swimmers.
c. Call for assistance if available. If possible, the rescuer
should attempt the rescue alone.
d. Call for medical experts in case the situation calls for
their aid.
e. Maintain crowd control. Non swimmers should not
attempt to rescue the victim.
2. FOLLOW THE PRESCRISBED PATTERN OF
RESCUE: REACH, THROW, ROW AND GO.
REACH THROW

Extend a long stable instrument that can be used to reach
out to the victim and pull him or her to safety. If he or she is
within reach, the rescuer may reach out with his or her hand
and pull the victim to safety, provided that the rescuer has a
stable structure to anchor himself or herself to.
If the victim is too far away to reach, the rescuer may
throw a Personal Floating Device/ PFD if available. If not, use
anything that will allow the victim to float or use another
method of rescue.

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ROW
If a boat/ if not necessarily a row boat is available, use
that to rescue the victim it is done by extending the rowboat for
the victim to hold on.
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GO
This method could mean two things; go and swim towards
the victim with a floating device; or go and call for help. It is
important to note that a rescuer must be skilled in swimming
before going to rescue a drowning victim. If a rescuer is not a
swimmer, a floating device maybe used such as piece of wood,
Styrofoam, aside from the commercially available floaters.
FLOATING IN A POOL
1. Start in the shallow end of the pool.
2. Be with someone who can swim and who knows how to
float already, as he or she can help guide you and can get
you out of difficulties if you panic.
3. Slowly ease onto your back. Place your arms out to the
side and your legs straight out in front of you. You will
probably sink the first tries but that is okay- you are in
the shallow end. Keep trying. Try the starfish float.
Imagine yourself as a starfish and spread your arms and
legs out to make a star shape. This is a good float to try
and it soon becomes easier with practice.
4. Relax your muscles and point your toes.
 5. Take a deep breath and relax. 2. Swimming is also a part of screening process in the
6. Lift your head up or you will sink. application for PNP SAF. All applicants are required to
7. Try a front float. pass 15-20 minutes free style floating and 30-45 meter
8. Try a rescue float. free style swimming across a swimming pool.
3. Swimming is another requirement for trainees for water
borne as a part of the commando training to become SAF
Tips in Floating TROOPER.

1. If not ready yet, let someone hold you.

2. Use a boogie board for starters.

Warning in Floating

To prevent the potential for drowning, always practice with

someone.

Things you will need in Floating

1. Person that can swim

2. Swimsuit or swim shorts
3. Boogie Board
4. Float pads

Swimming as a Requirements

1. Swimming for some schools is required for courses such

as Bachelor of Science in Criminology, Bachelor of
Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Bachelor
of Science in Marine Engineering, and other special
courses that necessitates swimming due to the nature of
the job.

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REFERENCES

Hand book on First Aid, Rescue and Water Safety

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