Drownings are on the increase in the summer, with three deaths per day on average, due to bad reflexes of French people at home or on vacation. Doctor Damien Mascret gave some practical advice for safe swimming on Thursday in the program "Sans Rendez-Vous" on Europe 1.

If, for many, summer is first and foremost synonymous with swimming in the sea or in the swimming pool, this unfortunately sometimes rhymes with drowning. Every day we deplore at least three deaths by accidental drowning during the summer. According to figures from Public Health France (SPF) published in 2018, one in four drowning ends in death, especially in private swimming pools. To limit these risks, Doctor Damien Mascret gave several practical advice in the program Sans Rendez-vous with Anne Le Gall, Thursday, on Europe 1.

Thoroughly check pool safety

Despite increased safety around swimming pools, they still account for 31% of accidental drownings, particularly private family swimming pools. These latter alone account for 20% of these accidents. In 75% of cases, they were children under 6 years old. It is also in this age group that we find the most victims of drowning. There were 332 in the year of the SPF investigation, with 22 deaths.

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So always check the security systems around the pool if you have a private pool. That said, accidents do occur in all age groups. Moreover, it is not among children that there are the most drowning deaths, but among those 65 and over, just ahead of the 45-64 age group.

The key: (re) learn to swim well

First, you have to learn or relearn how to swim well, as soon as possible and without forgetting that it is easier in the pool than at sea, because of the waves. Let's not even talk about bathing areas with currents. However, SPF estimates that one in twenty teenagers or young adults cannot swim. Among those over 65, one in three people cannot swim, which partly explains the worrying mortality figures.

More generally, do not overestimate your strength, and avoid water if you feel weak or tired. Avoid drinking alcohol if you go in the water. A word of advice applies particularly to young people: no alcoholic midnight bath. Protect yourself and your comrades who have drunk too much.

Keep your eyes on the children

It's a golden rule: you never take your eyes off a child when swimming or playing at the water's edge. Supervision is the responsibility of an adult, never a big brother or a big sister. Only one adult must watch the child at a time, even if it means taking turns, because all parents know that it is very difficult not to take your eyes off a child and to stay focused on supervision. There is no question of looking at your smartphone or even having a conversation when you are watching a child who is in the water, or nearby.

In the event of drowning, what can be done while waiting for help?

The priority is breathing. If the person is in cardio-respiratory arrest, the resuscitation protocol is started: cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth. If breathing resumes but the victim is still unconscious, put them in a side-to-side safety position, undress them and dry the person. We do not forget to put a blanket on him to avoid hypothermia. If the victim is conscious, we proceed to the same steps but we put it in a semi-sitting position. It is very important to never swim alone, discomfort in the water is always possible.

And watch out for the hydrocution!

It is necessary to wet the neck, the face and more generally the rest of the body in order to avoid hydrocution. It is thermal shock if your body has been heated in the sun and you dive into cold water. Your cardio-circulatory system may have trouble adjusting to heat shock. As a result, the brain is suddenly deprived of oxygen, resulting in syncope. You drown without even realizing it.