Emergency IndiaKnow what to do. Act fast. Save a life.

Drowning

Rescue safely, then breathing and CPR. Breaths matter in drowning.

criticalHIGH-CONFIDENCE GUIDANCEReviewed 2026-08-18
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RECOGNIZE

  • The person has been submerged or is struggling silently in water.
  • After rescue they may be unresponsive, coughing, vomiting, or breathing abnormally.
  • Drowning is usually silent — there is often no shouting or waving.

CALL

  • Call 112 for every drowning incident, even if the person seems to recover.
  • Call 112 before entering the water if you are alone and not trained.

DO NOW

  1. 1DO NOT BECOME THE SECOND VICTIMReach or throw something that floats. Enter the water only if you are trained.
  2. 2CALL 112Get emergency help coming immediately.
  3. 3GET THEM OUT AND CHECK BREATHINGOn firm ground, tap and shout, then look for normal breathing for up to 10 seconds.
  4. 4GIVE 5 RESCUE BREATHS IF TRAINEDFor drowning, if you are trained and willing, start with 5 rescue breaths before compressions.
  5. 5START CPRPush hard and fast in the centre of the chest, 100–120 per minute, and use an AED when it arrives.
  6. 6KEEP THEM WARMRemove wet clothing and cover with dry blankets once breathing returns.

DO NOT DO

  • DO NOT jump in unless you are a trained rescuer.
  • DO NOT try to drain water from the lungs or press the abdomen.
  • DO NOT delay CPR to remove wet clothing.
  • DO NOT assume a person who coughs and seems fine does not need medical review.
  • DO NOT leave children unsupervised near water, buckets or tanks.

WHILE WAITING FOR HELP

  • Continue CPR until they breathe normally or trained responders take over.
  • Turn the person on their side if they vomit, clear the mouth, then continue.
  • Protect them from cold — hypothermia is common after immersion.
  • Note how long they were under water.

WHEN TO ESCALATE

  • Breathing returns but the person is drowsy, coughing or breathless → still needs urgent hospital care.
  • No normal breathing → keep doing CPR.

AFTERCARE

  • Every rescued person needs medical assessment — breathing problems can appear hours later.
  • Prevention: fence and cover water tanks, supervise children constantly, and teach swimming and water safety.

Special cases

Untrained or unwilling to give breaths
  • Give continuous chest compressions at 100–120 per minute and do not stop until help arrives.
  • Compression-only CPR is far better than doing nothing.
Open CPR Metronome

CPR rhythm · 110 per minute

PUSH

Push hard in the centre of the chest. At least 5 cm deep, not more than about 6 cm. Let the chest come fully back up each time.

Keep going until the person breathes normally or trained responders take over.

MEDICAL SOURCES

  • ILCOR

    International Consensus on CPR Science with Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR)

    Published / updated 2023 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18

    Open source

  • European Resuscitation Council

    ERC Guidelines — Basic Life Support and First Aid

    Published / updated 2021 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18

    Open source

  • American Heart Association

    Guidelines for CPR and ECC — Basic Life Support / First Aid

    Published / updated 2020 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18

    Open source

This content is educational first-aid guidance and does not replace emergency medical care. Guidelines can change. Verify clinical guidance periodically.

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