Falling into water

If you see someone is drowning, do the following:

• Call for more help if possible.
• Search for any objects that could be of help. The best aids and tools are floating objects such as pieces of Styrofoam or empty plastic canisters. A plastic bucket can also act as a flotation device when turned upside down.
• Approach the person in distress carefully but swiftly. Keep the object or tool between yourself and the person in distress. If you cannot reach the person, throw the floating object towards the person.
• If necessary, try to calm down the person being rescued, since, as an instinctive drowning response, the person, who is drowning, may not be able to use their hands to grab onto the object.
• Help the person being rescued to the shore or a boat when they reach the aid and are able to float with it.
• Turn the person being rescued to a position where the water is drained from their airways. Resuscitate if necessary.
• Ensure that the rescued person receives further treatment.

If you fall off a boat, do the following:

• Try to stay calm.
• Try to keep the boat near you and hold on to the oars.
• If the boat has not overturned, try to push yourself into the boat at its rear or by sliding yourself sideways up the side. If there is a large amount of water in the boat, it may flip upside down. In this case, move to the back of the boat, grab the edge of the boat and carefully slide back into the boat.
• If the boat has overturned, you can try to turn a row-boat right-side up by climbing onto the edge of the boat, grabbing the centre arc and leaning backward. Water will get into the boat, but getting into a boat that is the right way up and getting to shore will be simpler.
• If you cannot turn the boat, try to climb on top of it anyway, as on top of the boat you will stay warm for longer than in the water. Row the upside-down boat towards the shore.
• When you have climbed on the boat, wring out your wet clothes to prevent hypothermia, i.e. a drop in body temperature.

If you cannot climb on top of the boat,

• do not panic. It is easier to stay afloat when you breathe calmly.
• If possible, grasp the edge of the boat, a rope or other fixed part.
• Shout for help or use a whistle or a torch if you have one.
• If you are close to the shore and feel strong enough, start swimming towards the shore.

When you are in a safe place, call for help.

If you see someone falling into ice, do the following:

• Call 112 and report the emergency.
• Shout out to the person who is in trouble that help is on its way.
• Take something to help you in reaching the person in distress such as an oar, long branch, rope or jacket.
• Approach the person, who has fallen through the ice, from the direction with thicker, stronger ice. Crawl the last few metres on your stomach or knees.
• Reach out with the object you have brought with you, towards the person in distress and begin to pull him/her out of the water onto the ice. Instruct him/her to kick at the water as if swimming so that he/she can get into a horizontal position. Make sure you do not fall in the water.
• When you are both on top of the ice, crawl on your stomachs or knees as far as possible from the open water.
• Carefully stand up only after you are sure the ice is strong enough.

If the rescued person is unable to move, keep them flat on their back, prevent further freezing and wait for an ambulance. The person who has been rescued from the freezing water must not be forced to walk.

If the rescued person is able to move indoors themselves, they should not be warmed up too quickly with rough rubbing. Do not lift the person's limbs, because freezing cold blood can travel to the heart and cause arrhythmia. The rescued person can be given warm drinks but no alcohol.

Never go out on the ice unless you are certain that it will hold. Word of mouth or a notion of what time of year the ice is strong enough to wonder out on are not necessarily accurate.

Keep an ice claw and a sharp pole with you whenever you wonder out on the ice. When necessary, use a life jacket or floatation suit.

If you fall into ice, do the following:

• Try to stay calm.
• Shout for help.
• Turn around and try to return in the direction from which you came.
• Break the weak ice in front of you as far as you can.
• When you reach the point where the ice holds, raise yourself with swim kicks into a horizontal position and try to push your upper body onto the ice.
• After this, get a grip on the ice with your ice claw and pull yourself fully onto the ice.
• Roll, pull yourself along or crawl on your stomach or knees until you reach ice that will hold.

If you are unable to pull yourself up on the ice completely,

• remain as still as possible to prevent heat from leaving your body.
• Shout for help or use a blinking light to attract attention if you are carrying a torch or similar.

If you are able to get out of the water on your own,

• move towards the shore continuously and steadily.
• Find a warm place as quickly as possible
• Take off your wet clothing only when you reach a warm place.

Hypothermia refers to reduced body temperature and changes in the body that happen as result of this.

• When you end up in cold water of 4 to 6 degrees, the body temperature starts to drop immediately. Body temperature drops especially quickly, if cold water gets into your stomach or lungs.
• You can lose your functional capacity in a few minutes and your consciousness in about 15 minutes. High age, poor general health, fatigue, dehydration, alcohol and illnesses can speed up the body's cooling.

If the person suffering from hypothermia is not breathing, try to resuscitate them yourself.

Get the person suffering from hypothermia to care in a lying position, avoiding any unnecessary movement.

In no circumstances should a person suffering from hypothermia be given alcohol, as it dilates superficial veins and increases heat loss.