No, the number 1 rule of rescuing someone who is drowning is: DON'T GO OUT FOR THEM AT ALL IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Seriously. Throw something floaty that they can grab onto, preferably with a rope attached, and then pull them in.
Going out for someone who's panicking is a horrible idea. They're panicking, they're going to try to get on top of you to stay afloat, and then you end up with two people drowning instead of one.

SilentStrider: No, the number 1 rule of rescuing someone who is drowning is: DON'T GO OUT FOR THEM AT ALL IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Seriously. Throw something floaty that they can grab onto, preferably with a rope attached, and then pull them in.
Going out for someone who's panicking is a horrible idea. They're panicking, they're going to try to get on top of you to stay afloat, and then you end up with two people drowning instead of one.

Reach, Throw, Row, Go, Tow

Yeah, I learned that pretty early. I was a certified lifeguard for some time, but this guy sounds like he had a coronary going after the kid. Poor guy, but he was a hero.

Oh, and I don't think it says anywhere he couldn't swim.

SilentStrider: No, the number 1 rule of rescuing someone who is drowning is: DON'T GO OUT FOR THEM AT ALL IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Seriously. Throw something floaty that they can grab onto, preferably with a rope attached, and then pull them in.
Going out for someone who's panicking is a horrible idea. They're panicking, they're going to try to get on top of you to stay afloat, and then you end up with two people drowning instead of one.

Yep, and they tought me that in the boy scouts...

And why wasn't the "special needs" kid wearing a life jacket.

SilentStrider: No, the number 1 rule of rescuing someone who is drowning is: DON'T GO OUT FOR THEM AT ALL IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Seriously. Throw something floaty that they can grab onto, preferably with a rope attached, and then pull them in.
Going out for someone who's panicking is a horrible idea. They're panicking, they're going to try to get on top of you to stay afloat, and then you end up with two people drowning instead of one.

I thought the 1st rule was not to tell anyone about the rescuing.

Where does it say he couldn't swim? And the man saved a little kid. You couldn't spring for the "Hero" tag? Come on!

I vote for Hero tag and he probably died of a heart attack.

Send in the FAIL BOAT to retrieve the bodies

A drowning victim will use you as a floatie, I don't care if it's the pope, he will try to drown you to save himself. It's all in the instincts.

Never swim to rescue a drowning victim unless you know what the fark you're doing and are a very strong swimmer.

Shame about the guy, as his intentions were good.

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The link headline says he (the 65 y/o rescuer) was injured. That was one hell of an injury. Hero tag deserved.

Rule #1 of making news pages: make sure your title bar matches the title of the article.

Rule #1 of posting on fark: make sure another farker didn't post it already. majestic got me there!

SilentStrider: No, the number 1 rule of rescuing someone who is drowning is: DON'T GO OUT FOR THEM AT ALL IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Sad but true. I know a guy who saved a drowning kid. That single event eventually destroyed his life. What he got instead of a "thank you" was death threats from the family, a broken back, a life on debilitating meds, a successful business destroyed, and a loving wife who kicked him out of the house because he could never work again. This is why I'm a Darwinist. I know that's not what you meant, but death would have been preferable -- whose death, I'm not saying.

Pud: i601.photobucket.com

That's a dolphin.

Purity Of Essence: SilentStrider: No, the number 1 rule of rescuing someone who is drowning is: DON'T GO OUT FOR THEM AT ALL IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Sad but true. I know a guy who saved a drowning kid. That single event eventually destroyed his life. What he got instead of a "thank you" was death threats from the family, a broken back, a life on debilitating meds, a successful business destroyed, and a loving wife who kicked him out of the house because he could never work again. This is why I'm a Darwinist. I know that's not what you meant, but death would have been preferable -- whose death, I'm not saying.

Why the hell would the family threaten him?

most people dont realize that cpr alone wont bring someone out of cardiac arrest. cpr just helps until the EMT's get there.

you need a defibrillator to save these people. CPR alone will NEVER bring them back.

I was about to post something snarky but I read the story and decided to just shut up.

In all seriousness, you actually need to be very careful. I was taught to grab them by the hair, or shoulder if hair was not an option.

When I was about 9, or 10 I was already a strong swimmer. A little girl (I guess 5, or 6) fell into the deep end of the pool. She sank like a rock. I dove in to pull her up to the surface, but she wrapped her arms, and legs around me as soon as I grabbed her arm. Pinning my arms, to my side, and making it difficult to kick my legs. I know it was just fear, but she was like a friggin' Anaconda, now I am sinking as well. It was all I could do to break free, grab a fistful of her hair(the way I was taught), then swim to the surface.


/yea, yea ....snark away ...
Point is, they will be in a panic, and take you down with them if you are not careful.

I only doggy paddle.

baka-san: Pud: i601.photobucket.com

That's a dolphin.

I stand corrected

heinekenftw: I only doggy paddle.

For the Win indeed.

hero tag NOW!!!

uofacats2004: most people dont realize that cpr alone wont bring someone out of cardiac arrest. cpr just helps until the EMT's get there.

you need a defibrillator to save these people. CPR alone will NEVER bring them back.

But--but--it always does on "Baywatch"!?!??!!? You mean Hasselhof LIED??!!?!

And for the record, even perfect CPR will only help about 35% of the time. If they don't get a good shock within 4 minutes, forget it, they're toast.

Gyrfalcon: uofacats2004: most people dont realize that cpr alone wont bring someone out of cardiac arrest. cpr just helps until the EMT's get there.

you need a defibrillator to save these people. CPR alone will NEVER bring them back.

But--but--it always does on "Baywatch"!?!??!!? You mean Hasselhof LIED??!!?!

And for the record, even perfect CPR will only help about 35% of the time. If they don't get a good shock within 4 minutes, forget it, they're toast.

But Jack managed CPR on at least three of the survivors on Lost!!!

Gyrfalcon: uofacats2004: most people dont realize that cpr alone wont bring someone out of cardiac arrest. cpr just helps until the EMT's get there.

you need a defibrillator to save these people. CPR alone will NEVER bring them back.

But--but--it always does on "Baywatch"!?!??!!? You mean Hasselhof LIED??!!?!

And for the record, even perfect CPR will only help about 35% of the time. If they don't get a good shock within 4 minutes, forget it, they're toast.

And watching CPR in progress, after that first four minutes is heart-wrenching.

A lot of people here have said that he should have thrown a flotation device.

The kid was special needs. We don't know what those needs were, but there's a good chance he couldn't swim and probably wouldn't be able to grab a floating device.

The guy is a hero, in my eyes!

Macphearsome: The guy is a hero, in my eyes!

ya, definitely.
he saved a mentally challenged kid's life.
end of story.

agreed. hero

Macphearsome: A lot of people here have said that he should have thrown a flotation device.

The kid was special needs. We don't know what those needs were, but there's a good chance he couldn't swim and probably wouldn't be able to grab a floating device.

The guy is a hero, in my eyes!

I think as long as he had use of his arms, the kid would have been trying to grab at ANYTHING that was near him. It's more a instinct thing than a conscious cognitive function.

cabritosaurio: Why the hell would the family threaten him?

They were crazy rednecks who thought they were being exploited when he asked if they'd like to be involved in a water safety event he was planning in order to drum up support for putting lifeguards on the beaches. Sometimes the "stupid surfer" cliche is apt. Oh, did I neglect to mention that? The kid was a surfer out in surf too big for him. The rescuer was in his sixties and had a heart attack at the scene.

But if the drowning person is a toddler, and you can't swim so you go for help instead of jumping in a raging torrent, swollen from a hurricane, and you yell for help instead, they'll still charge you with child endangerment.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05278/582741.stm

I have gone in with all my clothes on. If you're wearing jeans, and are fairly skinny, it's pretty difficult to swim with regular clothes on.

pounddawg: I vote for Hero tag and he probably died of a heart attack.

I vote for the Florida tag when the family of the dude guy sues the little special needs kid. After all, if he wasn't drowning, the dead bloke would have had no reason to dive into the water after him.

Macphearsome: The kid was special needs. We don't know what those needs were, but there's a good chance he couldn't swim and probably wouldn't be able to grab a floating device

Once again...

Why the fark was he not wearing a life jacket.

No hero's, just a bunch of stupid people.

SilentStrider: No, the number 1 rule of rescuing someone who is drowning is: DON'T GO OUT FOR THEM AT ALL IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Seriously. Throw something floaty that they can grab onto, preferably with a rope attached, and then pull them in.
Going out for someone who's panicking is a horrible idea. They're panicking, they're going to try to get on top of you to stay afloat, and then you end up with two people drowning instead of one.

Friend of mine rescued a DD guy who was drowning once...drownee nearly pulled him under, and my buddy, being a quick thinker (as well as very pragmatic) clipped him one on the jaw and knocked him out.
Managed to get both of them to shore without further incident.

...agrees.

Joe Delaney's wiki page (new window)

" If you're in a jam,
Call a giant clam!"

uofacats2004: most people dont realize that cpr alone wont bring someone out of cardiac arrest. cpr just helps until the EMT's get there.

you need a defibrillator to save these people. CPR alone will NEVER bring them back.

Just got re-certed for CPR on Thursday, and thats AZACKLY what the instructor said...it buys them time so they don't end up brain-damaged from lack of O₂.

And...for those of you who think outside the box and are good at improvising...
Tasing somebody whose heart has stopped will NOT repeat NOT have the same effect as the difibrillator...shocky thing (cannot remember the acronym) thing they use to shock the heart into (hopefully) re-starting.

I asked about this specifically...

/ not planning to tase anyone, but you work with the tools you have available, right?

Begs to differ...

"A Longwood man is in critical condition after rescuing a child from drowning."

really really critical condition at this point

syzygy whizz: / not planning to tase anyone

suuuuure

Donnchadha: But if the drowning person is a toddler, and you can't swim so you go for help instead of jumping in a raging torrent, swollen from a hurricane, and you yell for help instead, they'll still charge you with child endangerment.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05278/582741.stm

stories like this remind me why i would rather be in front of a judge and not a jury.

syzygy whizz: uofacats2004: most people dont realize that cpr alone wont bring someone out of cardiac arrest. cpr just helps until the EMT's get there.

you need a defibrillator to save these people. CPR alone will NEVER bring them back.

Just got re-certed for CPR on Thursday, and thats AZACKLY what the instructor said...it buys them time so they don't end up brain-damaged from lack of O2.

And...for those of you who think outside the box and are good at improvising...
Tasing somebody whose heart has stopped will NOT repeat NOT have the same effect as the difibrillator...shocky thing (cannot remember the acronym) thing they use to shock the heart into (hopefully) re-starting.

I asked about this specifically...

/ not planning to tase anyone, but you work with the tools you have available, right?

Its called an AED. Insanely simple to operate and relativly inexpensive.

And yep, never endanger yourself when atempting a water rescue.

He swims like he's in the Special Olympics.



/window seat

So ... a perfectly good man died to save a defective human being?

That's messing with evolution. If the retard goes for a swim, that's one less retard in our society.

/I hate PC speech. He doesn't have "special needs", he's retarded. Period.

Giving your life to save another person is about the best way I can think of to die. The dead guy is definitely a hero in my book.

Secret Master of All Flatulence: Giving your life to save another person is about the best way I can think of to die. The dead guy is definitely a hero in my book.

At least trying, how many of you Farkers can lay claim to that?

Secret Master of All Flatulence: Giving your life to save another person is about the best way I can think of to die. The dead guy is definitely a hero in my book.

You are right. ... there is no more noble a way to "go" than trying to save another .....Hero

Pud: Secret Master of All Flatulence: Giving your life to save another person is about the best way I can think of to die. The dead guy is definitely a hero in my book.

You are right. ... there is no more noble a way to "go" than trying to save another .....Hero

I tried to post the hero tag ...I failed...