As summer approaches, at La Ribambelle kindergarten in Lectoure, an evening was organized on Friday May 12 to raise awareness of the risks of drowning, aimed at families in the canton. Faced with an increase in the number of drownings, each year, the Cercle des Nageurs auscitains (CNA) has set up a system, the “SOS Drowning”, and it travels to the department to inform the population.
This intervention, which lasts between 2:30 and 3 hours, is articulated around two parts. The first part is an explanation of drowning, led by a general practitioner, Fabrice Elasri: general information on the body’s mechanisms in the face of this event. It should be noted that the two categories most affected by cases of drowning: children under 6, particularly in the private sector (be careful, this is the first cause of death in children, ahead of domestic accidents); and the over 65s, especially in the natural environment. Contrary to popular belief, drowning is silent, and it requires constant vigilance and special precautions.
The phenomena of hydrocution and “dry drowning” were also discussed. The hydrocution having as an explanation a cardiac acceleration and a hyperventilation; and “dry drowning”, an alteration of the protections of the alveoli of the lungs following an entry of water.
The second part, concerns the “gestures that save” and in particular on the cases of drowning. This part was led by Bastien Pitoux, lifeguard and first aid trainer. The themes of protection and alert (protect first, alert second, then help), haemorrhage (the actions necessary in the face of a loss of blood that does not stop), loss of consciousness ( placing an unconscious and breathing person in a lateral safety position) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cardiac massage and use of a defibrillator on an unconscious person who is not breathing).
People were able to practice the gestures by workshop in order to carry out the necessary gestures in the face of the situations mentioned.
The evening began at 6 p.m. and ended at 8:30 p.m. with a snack. About twenty people were present and the evening was rich in exchanges.