Determinants of towing effectiveness in water rescue

Purpose Drownings are a societal phenomenon occurring worldwide, hence the importance of rescue skills, including directly towing a victim to a safe place. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the most effective towing techniques based on kinematic parameters, considering different types of drowning cases, for their recommendation for widespread use in water rescue. Methods The research involved 18 water lifeguards aged 18-25 years. The evaluation included speed tests in towing a mannequin over a distance of 50 m using the Extended Arm Tow (EAT), Double Armpit Tow (DAT), “Sailor” Technique Tow (STT), and with a rescue tube (RT), accompanied by video recording to measure in the designated measurement area the number of cyclic paddling movements by the lower limbs, angles of the body attack, towing velocity, and its decrease during towing. Results Number of cyclic paddling movements by the lower limbs, towing with a RT was considered the most beneficial, and least beneficial was the DAT. In the DAT, the lifeguard swam with the smallest body angle, in contrast to the STT, where this angle was the largest. The effect of the number of cyclic paddling movements and the body angle by the lifeguard was the velocity, with the highest value recorded in towing using a RT; in other techniques, velocity were similar. Conclusions Institutions associated with water rescue should recommend towing using a RT for direct rescue actions in the water, as its use shortens the time, while simultaneously increasing safety for both the rescuer and the victim.