Resuscitation of drowning victims in south-east Scotland

Introduction: Immersion in cold water is compatible with long-term survival , even when the period of immersion is relatively long. Guidelines for resu scitation after immersion stress the importance of prolonged resuscitation using advanced life support techniques. Methods: Deaths due to drowning in south-east Scotland between 1991 and 1997 were reviewed, using a variety of data sources. Results: 95 deaths (69 males, 26 females) from drowning occu rred in the following sites: sea, 35; bath, 15; flowing freshwater, 26; sti ll freshwater, 19. 22 (23%) of the drowning incidents were witnessed, 73 (7 7%) were unwitnessed. 28 individuals were recovered within 1 h of being see n alive, 13 having had witnessed accidents, 15 having had unwitnessed accid ents. Six individuals were not resuscitated at the scene by the emergency s ervices, despite being last seen alive within the previous hour. A further five individuals were initially resuscitated, but declared dead at the scen e within 1 h of being known to be alive. Conclusions: Members of the emerge ncy services, are failing to both initiate prehospital resuscitation and to continue this to hospital for victims of near drowning. There appears to b e potential to reduce the drowning death rate by improving resuscitation. T he emergency services and the public should be educated about the need to r esuscitate those found in water. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.