Ice and Bathing Accident

Ice accidents:
To help people that have an ice accident, do the following procedure:

• Ask the casualty to place both arms on the ice surface and to move as little as possible.
• Make an emergency call.
• Don’t attempt to rescue the casualty without being secured by a rope or safe-guarded by a second helper.
• Use devices, such as planks, boards, ladders, poles.
• Check the carrying capacity of the ice, and make sure that the ice will carry both the helper and the casualty!
• Use something wide as a support when you approach the casualty.

Bathing Accidents:
To help people on getting bathing accident, follow the procedure bellow:

• Make an emergency call.
• Rescue the casualty by means of a boat or toss him a life-belt or life-buoy on a lifeline.
• Don’t swim in unfamiliar waters because of e.g. depths, large distances, strong currents, waves, nature of the banks, weirs.
• Jump only in a squatting position.
• Swim to the casualty with a floating device that will help to support the casualty (e.g. air mattress, life belt).

If the casualty is about to grab you:

• Swiftly dive below the casualty.
• If the casualty is clutching you, free yourself at all costs (release grips).

More safety – attend a lifeguard swimming course
Training courses and exams are held by the Austrian Water Rescue System) comprising the organizations listed below: Junior Red Cross, Federal Army, Life saving Association, etc.

Moving the casualty to safety (rescue grips):

Dragging:
Cross the casualty’s arms below his head and drag him to safety. When doing so, lift the casualty’s body as little as possible.

• Rautek Grip:

Before moving the casualty from the car, make sure that:

• The engine of the accident vehicle is turned off (leave the ignition key in place).
• The casualty’s legs are not trapped.
• The safety belt has been opened by the helper, and
• The casualty is slightly bent forward.
• Now lift the casualty with the Rautek grip and pull him out of the car in such a way that the casualty leans against your thigh. In this way you move the casualty away from the danger zone. If the second helper is present, he lifts the casualty’s legs.