# My first 911, almost became a patient



## ttoude (Aug 16, 2009)

Went to visit my ladys daughter, boyfriend and unborn kid (8 week preg) at new apartment on saturday. 

We had my ladys 3 kids in tow, 11 y/o male and 10 y/o  female, 13 y/o female. 

The kids only came for the pool and food really. (4ft to 12ft small pool)

Fast fwd past the mundane to the pool. Earlier that day I decided to be lazy and put my bdu's and boots from the previous day at work, that way I didnt have to move my wallet from one pair of pants to the next (give me a break, it was my day off). 

Back to the pool, The preg daughter and Boyfriend are in the deep water with the 11 & 13 y/o females close behind. The two young girls are in, one in the deep one in the shallow all good swimmers. I'm sitting at a table playing tetris on my cell. 

The crying and splashing starts here the (non-swimming) mother standing by the pool watching more closely than normal. She turns to me and Says "Theyre serious, come help". I stand at poolside do a quick survey, 6 ft boyfriend is keeping preg daughter above water but may go under himself. 10 y/o female gets dragged under by panicking  preg daughter while screaming with her mouth open.  

i jump in with glasses and all, boots too. trying to get past preg daughter to submerged 11 y/o . i start to come up under the 11 y/o, this is where i realized my mistake, I started to sink like a brick. My boots began to fill with water and drag me to the bottom. 

I found myself at the bottom holding my breath trying to figure out why I cant swim anymore. 

I kick to the surface look for the kid go back to the bottom then... 

kick to the surface one more time and the kid is at the edge safe. 
Back to the bottom.... 

And kick to the surface , preg daughter is still panicking but 6ft boyfriend is much calmer and managing. Back to the bottom and..... 

Kick, I get my hands on the preg daughters rear flanks to assist 6ft boyfriend. then back to the bottom.....

kick, and for some reason head to the FAR side of the pool! Grab the edge and its over 

Mom is angry, kids are crying (Good airway) and preg daughter is at the edge holding on. I'm to tired to climb out so i walk to the sallow and get out. 

I send the kids in to dry and raise core temps, pool was freezing.

Question #1 Who would you pick to go after? 

Question #2 Except for the boots, What would you change. 

Question #3 Is my litman ruined now that its been in the pool?


----------



## TransportJockey (Aug 16, 2009)

I'll only do # 3 since I'm about to go get ready for work... but your scope should be ok if you let it dry really well. I got soaked on internship with my Littmann in my thigh pocket when we had to go into a creek (remember when it rained enough to flood certain parts of ABQ?) to cross to get to our pt.


----------



## MRE (Aug 16, 2009)

I'll start with a few general things.  I teach lifeguarding for the Red Cross, so I have had a bit of experience with situations like this.

Whenever someone is having trouble in the water, they start to revert to basic instincts and tend to try and grab and climb on top of anything close enough to reach.  At this point the best thing to do is extend a rescue tube, ring, or a pole.  A person can also progress beyond this state to where the only thing they are able to do is a kind of vertical dog paddle, sometimes called "climbing the ladder".  At this point, a person may not recognize that they can reach the edge of the pool or a flotation device that someone has thrown to them.  In this state you usually need to enter the water and tow them to the edge.  It sounds like you saw the grabbing and climbing stage.  

With a small pool, quite often you don't need to actually enter the water to make a rescue.  A shepards crook (pole with a big hook on it) can be used to scoop up people from the bottom or surface even if they are unresponsive.  If you don't have one of these, a pole net will work if the person can grab it.

In your situation, I would have done the same as you and gone after the submerged child first, taken her to the edge, away from the pregnant woman who was panicking.  Even though she is in trouble, the boyfriend was helping her.  After getting the child from the bottom, I would have approached the pregnant woman from the rear if possible, reached under one of her arms and across her chest, and towed her to the side.  One thing I would change is looking for a pole or other object to use to reach with instead of entering the pool myself.

A big thing when dealing with a person who is panicking in the water is telling them they are safe now, and they are going to be ok.  If they manage to grab you, the best way to escape is to submerge yourself, generally they will let go since they are trying to stay at the surface.

For your scope, I would wash it in fresh water to get any chlorine and pool chemicals out, and dry it very well.  It should be fine after that.


----------



## Sasha (Aug 17, 2009)

> Question #2 Except for the boots, What would you change.



Don't go in the water for people. Throw them a floatation device, give them something to grab onto so you can pull them in, but don't go in yourself. They are going to panic, they aren't trying to kill you, just keep themselves above water.


----------



## HotelCo (Aug 17, 2009)

ttoude said:


> Went to visit my ladys daughter, boyfriend and unborn kid (8 week preg) at new apartment on saturday.
> 
> We had my ladys 3 kids in tow, 11 y/o male and 10 y/o  female, 13 y/o female.
> 
> ...



#1: Submerged child. She's in the most immediate danger.

#2: Don't go in the water if at all possible. Use anything you can, to reach them.

#3: Take it apart and let it dry. It shouldn't be ruined.


----------



## ttoude (Aug 17, 2009)

Thanks folks, I think I'm gonna talk a life guard course also


----------



## mycrofft (Aug 18, 2009)

*Lifeguard course is fun.*

Remember REACH-THROW-GO, descending preference for response. Push out a lounger for them to grab, garden hose, or shove them to opposite side with pool skimmer handle or whatever. Think tactically.

Next time, boots off by the pool full of kids?B)


Disassemble scope, rinse thoroughly with fresh water, then with alcohol, then dry as much as possible. Alcohol will kill germs and fungi (perfect in the ears) and dry it out by adsorbing thr water. Also gets rid of all that ear wax you've just know you've been putting off taking care of.


----------



## WuLabsWuTecH (Aug 18, 2009)

mycrofft said:


> Remember REACH-THROW-GO, descending preference for response. Push out a lounger for them to grab, garden hose, or shove them to opposite side with pool skimmer handle or whatever. Think tactically.
> 
> Next time, boots off by the pool full of kids?B)
> 
> ...


Run alcohol through it?  Like a stehoscope bong?  That's not whacker or anything...


----------



## KillTank (Aug 18, 2009)

All my ex's live in Albuquerque...seriously, 3 of them :wacko:

Good job. Its good to have quick thinking people like you around.


----------



## TransportJockey (Aug 18, 2009)

KillTank said:


> All my ex's live in Albuquerque...seriously, 3 of them :wacko:
> 
> Good job. Its good to have quick thinking people like you around.



Not so many good womens here in ABQ. I tend to wind up with people from out of state.


----------



## Sasha (Aug 18, 2009)

> All my ex's live in Albuquerque



I thought the song was "All my ex's live in Texas"?


----------



## KillTank (Aug 19, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I thought the song was "All my ex's live in Texas"?



some of em live there too ^_^


----------



## exodus (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm confused, why would all of a sudden 3 or 4 people start freaking out and drowning?  Kinda reminds me of the our scenario at school for MCI when we had like 4 people convulsing when we approached the scene... Summin dun add up


----------



## Sasha (Aug 19, 2009)

exodus said:


> I'm confused, why would all of a sudden 3 or 4 people start freaking out and drowning?  Kinda reminds me of the our scenario at school for MCI when we had like 4 people convulsing when we approached the scene... Summin dun add up



One starts, another goes to help, starts getting pulled under, another goes to help, starts getting pulled under, another goes to help, starts getting pulled under, etc.

You'll be suprised how strong people get when they are in danger.


----------



## ttoude (Aug 19, 2009)

exodus said:


> I'm confused, why would all of a sudden 3 or 4 people start freaking out and drowning?  Kinda reminds me of the our scenario at school for MCI when we had like 4 people convulsing when we approached the scene... Summin dun add up



Yeah, I was a little confused too. But it was a chain panick, Preg daughter, boyfriend then little sis get dragged under. 

I asked and There was never a good explination why the preg daughter panicked. she was being held up by the boyfriend then the sis swam too close to the action............


----------



## mycrofft (Aug 19, 2009)

*Yeah, panic is impossible to justify later.*

The "going limp" thing is dicey when they grab you, they will try to stand on you sometimes. Feed em your non-dominant arm then swarm aboard their shoulders with your strong arm and hold thier head under, yank em up and sceam to give up, let go or whatever. If it doesn't work, climb onto their shoulders again until they capitulate or pass out.
Worked for me once, passed my exam.


----------

