Knowing the correct drowning first aid and CPR steps can save a life. When someone is pulled from the water, every second counts. Quickly recognising an emergency, calling Triple Zero (000), beginning CPR and providing rescue breaths can significantly improve their chances of survival while waiting for paramedics. This guide explains exactly what to do after a drowning incident, why rescue breaths are especially important, and how to respond confidently using current Australian first aid principles.
Australia’s love of beaches, rivers, lakes and swimming pools is one of our greatest lifestyle advantages, but it also brings real risks. While no one expects to witness a drowning emergency, understanding the correct first aid response can help you act quickly and confidently when every second matters.
Key Takeaways
- Treat every drowning as a medical emergency and call Triple Zero (000) as soon as the person has been safely removed from the water.
- Begin CPR immediately if the casualty is unresponsive and not breathing normally, starting with rescue breaths in accordance with Australian first aid guidance.
- An AED can be used safely after drowning once the person’s chest has been dried and the device is ready.
- Anyone involved in a drowning incident should receive medical assessment, even if they appear to have recovered fully.
- Learning CPR before an emergency occurs gives you the confidence and practical skills to act when every second counts.
Why Drowning Is a Medical Emergency
Drowning is one of the most time-critical emergencies anyone can face. Unlike many other medical emergencies, the primary problem is a lack of oxygen. When a person’s airway is submerged, oxygen can no longer reach the lungs effectively. As oxygen levels fall, the brain and other vital organs begin to suffer.
Without immediate intervention, unconsciousness can occur within minutes, followed by cardiac arrest.
The encouraging news is that prompt first aid and CPR save lives. A bystander who recognises the emergency, calls for help and begins CPR immediately can make an enormous difference to the person’s chances of survival and recovery.
Contrary to popular belief, drowning isn’t always dramatic. Many incidents occur quietly, with little splashing or shouting for help. Children, in particular, may slip beneath the surface without attracting attention, which is why active supervision around water is so important.
Recognising the Signs of Drowning
Knowing what drowning actually looks like can help you intervene sooner.
Someone who is drowning may:
- Struggle to keep their mouth above the surface.
- Be unable to speak or call for help.
- Gasp for air.
- Appear to climb an invisible ladder.
- Float vertically without making progress.
- Become unusually quiet or motionless.
- Lose consciousness.
Once removed from the water, they may:
- Cough repeatedly.
- Have difficulty breathing.
- Appear pale or bluish around the lips.
- Be confused or drowsy.
- Become unconscious or stop breathing altogether.
Medical assessment is still essential. Even if someone seems to recover quickly, every drowning incident requires medical assessment. Water entering the lungs can cause breathing complications that may develop after the initial rescue.
Rescue Safely Before Providing First Aid
Your first priority is always your own safety. First aid can only begin once the casualty has been brought to safety.
Many would-be rescuers have lost their lives attempting to save others because they entered dangerous water without appropriate training or equipment.
Follow: Reach – Throw – Row – Go Only If Safe
Whenever possible, use the safest rescue method available before entering the water.
Call Triple Zero (000)
Every suspected drowning should be treated as a medical emergency. Call Triple Zero (000) as soon as possible.
- If other people are nearby, ask one person to call for an ambulance while another retrieves the nearest AED, if available.
- If you are alone and have your mobile phone, place it on speaker so you can continue providing first aid while receiving guidance from the emergency call taker.
- Early access to advanced medical care significantly improves outcomes.
Follow the DRSABCD Action Plan
Australian first aid follows the DRSABCD approach. This structured sequence helps ensure the most important actions are completed in the correct order.
Danger
- Before approaching the casualty, quickly assess the scene.
- Look for waves or strong currents.
- Watch for deep or fast-moving water.
- Be alert to boats, jet skis, slippery rocks, electrical hazards, broken glass or other debris.
- Only begin first aid once it is safe to do so.
Response
- Check whether the person is responsive.
- Speak loudly.
- Ask simple questions such as, “Can you hear me?”
- Gently squeeze their shoulders.
- If there is no response, move immediately to the next step.
Send for Help
- Call Triple Zero (000).
- If others are present, direct someone specifically to call the ambulance.
- Ask another person to retrieve an AED.
- Ask someone to assist with crowd control if necessary.
- Clear instructions help avoid confusion during emergencies.
Airway
- Carefully open the airway.
- If obvious debris such as weeds, sand or vomit is visible in the mouth, remove it if it can be done easily.
- Avoid blind finger sweeps, which may push material further into the airway.
Breathing
- Look, listen and feel for normal breathing for no more than ten seconds.
- Occasional gasping is not normal breathing.
- If the casualty is breathing normally, place them in the recovery position and continue monitoring until paramedics arrive.
- If they are not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately.
Why Rescue Breaths Are Especially Important After Drowning
Drowning is different from many adult cardiac arrests because the emergency usually begins with oxygen deprivation.
Many Adult Cardiac Arrests
Most adult cardiac arrests begin because of a problem with the heart.
Drowning Emergencies
Drowning begins because the body has been deprived of oxygen.
This is why rescue breaths are such an important part of resuscitation following drowning. Providing oxygen to the lungs helps address the problem that caused the cardiac arrest in the first place.
Current Australian first aid guidance recommends beginning CPR for drowning with rescue breaths before starting chest compressions.
Oxygen Is the Priority
Drowning deprives the body of oxygen, so rescue breaths help restore oxygen to the lungs.
Do Not Delay
It is natural to feel uncertain, but delaying treatment is more dangerous than attempting rescue breaths imperfectly.
Use a Face Shield If Available
If a resuscitation face shield is available, use it if doing so does not delay CPR.
How to Perform CPR After Drowning
If the casualty is unresponsive and not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately.
Place the person on a firm, flat surface if possible.
For drowning emergencies:
- Give 2 rescue breaths.
- Begin 30 chest compressions.
- Continue with cycles of 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.
- Compress the chest to approximately one-third of its depth.
- Aim for a compression rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
Continue CPR until:
- The person begins breathing normally.
- An AED advises you to stop.
- Paramedics take over.
- You are physically unable to continue.
If more than one trained rescuer is present, change the person performing chest compressions every two minutes where practical. This helps maintain the depth and quality of compressions, which often decline as fatigue sets in.
Children and infants require modified CPR techniques, but the same principle applies: restoring oxygen and circulation as quickly as possible.
Many people are surprised by how physically demanding CPR can be. Reading about it provides valuable knowledge, but practising on a manikin develops the confidence and muscle memory needed during a real emergency. Completing a nationally accredited CPR or First Aid course with First Aid Pro Melbourne allows participants to practise these life-saving skills under the guidance of experienced trainers, helping them feel prepared if the unexpected happens.
Using an AED After Drowning
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can be used safely following a drowning incident.
First, remove the casualty from the water. Once they are in a safe location, use the AED as soon as it is available while continuing CPR when instructed.
Dry the Chest
Dry the chest quickly so the AED pads can stick properly.
Attach the Pads
Attach the adhesive pads as illustrated on the AED diagrams.
Follow Instructions
Listen carefully and follow the AED's spoken instructions.
Resume CPR
Resume CPR immediately whenever the AED instructs you to do so.
AEDs Are Designed to Be Safe
Modern AEDs automatically assess the heart's rhythm and will only deliver a shock if it is appropriate. There is no danger of accidentally shocking someone who does not require it.
What to Do If the Person Starts Breathing Again
If the casualty begins breathing normally after CPR, it can feel as though the emergency has passed. However, the risk is not over.
Anyone involved in a drowning incident should receive medical assessment, even if they appear fully recovered. Water entering the lungs can interfere with normal breathing and may cause complications that develop over the following hours.
While waiting for paramedics:
- Place the person in the recovery position if they are breathing normally and there is no suspected spinal injury.
- Keep them warm using a towel, blanket or dry clothing.
- Reassure them and encourage them to remain still.
- Continue monitoring their breathing and responsiveness.
- Be prepared to recommence CPR if they stop breathing normally.
Remaining calm and providing reassurance can also help reduce anxiety after what is often a frightening experience.
Why Medical Assessment Is Essential After Drowning
Someone may appear awake and well after being rescued, but a drowning incident can still affect breathing after the immediate danger has passed.
Do not assume recovery means the danger is over. Many people mistakenly believe that if someone is awake, talking and appears well after being rescued, there is no need for further treatment. This is a dangerous assumption.
Lung irritation can continue
A drowning incident may affect the lungs even after breathing has returned to normal.
Oxygen transfer may be reduced
Irritation and inflammation caused by inhaled water can reduce the lungs' ability to transfer oxygen effectively.
Assessment is safest
Anyone who has experienced a drowning incident should be assessed by healthcare professionals.
This applies after any water emergency
Common Drowning First Aid Mistakes
During an emergency, well-intentioned bystanders sometimes rely on outdated advice or common myths. Avoiding these mistakes can help ensure the casualty receives the best possible care.
Delaying CPR
The greatest mistake is waiting too long before starting CPR. Once the casualty has been removed from the water and it is clear they are unresponsive and not breathing normally, CPR should begin immediately.
Trying to Drain Water from the Lungs
Many people still believe they should hold the casualty upside down or attempt to force water from the lungs before starting CPR. This is not recommended. Valuable time is lost while oxygen continues to be deprived from the brain.
Forgetting Rescue Breaths
Because drowning results from oxygen deprivation, rescue breaths play an especially important role during resuscitation. Providing both rescue breaths and chest compressions gives the casualty the greatest chance of survival.
Assuming They Are Fine
Someone who is awake and talking after a drowning incident can still develop serious breathing complications later. Medical assessment should never be skipped.
Entering Unsafe Water
Many drowning incidents involve multiple casualties because rescuers place themselves in danger. Always consider your own safety first and use the safest rescue method available.
Preventing Drowning Emergencies
Although first aid saves lives, preventing drowning remains the best outcome.Many incidents can be avoided through sensible precautions and active supervision.
- Children should always be supervised around water, regardless of their swimming ability. This means maintaining constant visual contact rather than relying on older siblings or flotation toys.
- When visiting beaches, swim between the red and yellow flags where lifeguards are present. At rivers and lakes, be aware of hidden hazards such as submerged objects, steep drop-offs and strong currents that may not be immediately obvious.
- If you’re boating, kayaking or paddleboarding, wear a correctly fitted lifejacket. Alcohol and recreational drugs should never be mixed with aquatic activities, as they impair judgement, coordination and reaction time.
- It’s also important to recognise changing weather conditions. Strong winds, rough surf and flash flooding can rapidly turn otherwise safe conditions into dangerous ones.
- Teaching children to swim, learning basic water safety and ensuring pool fences comply with Australian regulations all contribute to reducing the risk of drowning.
Why Learning CPR Before an Emergency Matters
Most people hope they will never need to perform CPR. The reality is that emergencies rarely happen with warning. They occur at family barbecues, children’s birthday parties, fishing trips, camping holidays and days at the beach—often before professional help can arrive.
Knowing what to do gives you the confidence to step forward instead of standing back.
A nationally accredited CPR or First Aid course provides practical, hands-on experience that simply can’t be gained from watching videos or reading online articles.
Participants learn how to:
- Recognise life-threatening emergencies.
- Follow the DRSABCD action plan.
- Perform effective CPR.
- Deliver rescue breaths confidently.
- Use an AED safely.
- Respond to drowning and other medical emergencies.
Regular refresher training is equally important. CPR recommendations evolve over time, and practical skills naturally decline if they are not practised.
Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, teacher, sports coach, childcare educator, tradie or someone who simply enjoys spending time around Melbourne’s beaches, rivers and pools, CPR is one of the most valuable life skills you can learn.
If it’s been more than 12 months since your last CPR course—or you’ve never completed one—consider enrolling in a nationally accredited CPR or First Aid course with First Aid Pro Melbourne. The practical experience gained during training could one day help you save a life.
Related Reading
- ANZCOR Guidelines – Guideline 8 – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Royal Life Saving Australia – Drowning Prevention and Water Safety https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/ Comprehensive Australian information on drowning prevention, rescue, survival statistics and community education.
Surf Life Saving Australia – Beach Safety and First Aid https://beachsafe.org.au/ Evidence-based advice on beach safety, rip currents, drowning prevention and emergency response around Australia’s coastline.
- First Aid Pro –World Drowning Prevention Day 2026: How Winter Water Safety and First Aid Skills Save Lives
FAQs
Should you give rescue breaths after drowning?
Yes. Drowning is primarily caused by a lack of oxygen, so Australian first aid guidance recommends beginning CPR with rescue breaths before chest compressions where possible.
Can someone survive after being underwater for several minutes?
. Should I try to remove water from the lungs before starting CPR?
No. Do not waste time trying to drain water from the lungs or turning the casualty upside down. Begin CPR immediately if they are unresponsive and not breathing normally.
Can an AED be used after a drowning incident?
Yes. After removing the casualty from the water, quickly dry their chest, attach the AED pads and follow the device’s voice prompts. AEDs will only deliver a shock if one is needed.
Does everyone rescued from the water need medical attention?
Yes. Even if the person appears to recover completely, they should be assessed by healthcare professionals because breathing complications can develop after the incident.
