A recent article entitled “The role of bystanders during rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims”published in the journal ‘Resuscitation’ has examined the role of bystander resuscitation in the survival of drowning victims. The article finds that in cases where bystanders initiated CPR prior to receiving CPR from emergency medical services (EMS) or being admitted to hospital, the victim had a much greater chance of survival.

The article, written by Allart M. Venema, Johan W. Groothoff and Joost J.L.M. Bierens used rescue reports generated by the Dutch Maatschappij tot Redding van Drenkelingen (the Dutch Society to Rescue People from Drowning), an organisation which awards bystanders for the rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims. The Dutch society has also previously hosted the World Congress on Drowning.

The Utstein Style for Drowning (USFD) was applied to the analysed reports. The USFD, is a set of parameters related to the register and study of drowning and includes victim and scene information and emergency department evaluation and treatment guidelines among others.

An examination of 289 rescue events from 1999 to 2004 found that 343 drowning victims were rescued by 503 bystanders. The research identified that the behaviour of bystanders is one of the most important factors in survival.

For example, in instances where drowning victims received resuscitation from bystanders only, rather than EMS resuscitation, these efforts were still successful in saving lives, with 37 of 39 people who received bystander-only resuscitation surviving, with the condition of 2 people unknown. A fast rescue, that removes a person from a life threatening situation and a fast resuscitation that restores oxygen supply and circulation are essential to surviving a drowning incident.

This article is the first study to be based on a large population that points out how bystanders deal with the rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims before the arrival of the EMS. Of the publishing of this research co-author and International Life Saving Federation (ILS) Medical Committee member Joost Bierens says:

“Our study on the role of bystanders in the rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims shows that bystanders are prepared to take great risks to rescue a drowning victim and that immediate bystander resuscitation can be successful.

The study may also have implications for the ILS community. Firstly: a good registration system allows the provision of answers to relevant questions. Secondly: the lay community needs information about safety issues related to drowning rescues. Thirdly: the optimal resuscitation technique in drowning still needs to be defined. I am looking forward to the next conference to discuss these issues with my life saving friends, colleagues and researchers. I am sure that in Da Nang, with all experts gathered, there is another unique opportunity to improve the outcome of drowning.”

The role of bystanders in the rescue of drowning victims is one such topic that may be discussed within the Emergency Response and Medical Issues theme at the upcoming World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2011. Other topics to be discussed within this theme include medical research, advances in the medical aspects of rescue, first aid and resuscitation, care of the drowning victim, emergency response research and practice, and the impact of alcohol and drug abuse on drowning.

The conference organisers welcome contributions to this news facility. Please email all contributions to jscarr@rlssa.org.au