01 Oct 2020  |   05:31am IST

Drishti team undergoes training in new global lifesaving guidelines

Says it has adapted to new rescue, revival protocol

Team Herald

PANJIM: Drishti Marine has stated that its team has undergone extensive training in the new global lifesaving guidelines in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has adapted to the new rescue and revival protocol in tune with the pandemic to save people’s lives. 

“The new Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) protocol has changed. Globally, hands-only CPR is recommended which includes compression of the chest, but no rescue breaths. In more advanced cases too, it's a direct shift from the regular mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the use of a Bag Valve Mask (BVM) which is a self- inflating resuscitation device. This can reduce infections or diseases being transmitted in the process between victim and rescuer,” Ravi Shankar, who heads the operations of Drishti Marine, said. 

The earlier protocol involved clearing airways to avoid sand choking, commencing CPR through compressions and moving on to a BVM only if mouth-to-mouth resuscitation could not be continued. 

“Rescues still involve a lot of unavoidable physical contact but the new protocol can curb it down significantly and offer safety to both, the lifeguards as well as the rescued victims”, Shankar added further explaining, “Lifeguards tug or carry the victims back to shore while the support team waiting on shore with the spine board and equipment wear masks, face shields and gloves as they commerce hand compressions and use of the BVM if required.” Wherever possible, a rescue board and jetskis are used to tug the victims back to the shore. Meanwhile an ambulance is called for by the backup team. 

In cases of attempted suicide or those suffering from mental health, the lifeguards circle the person while speaking to him or her and keeping him/her calm, eventually bringing the person back to the shore.

Drishti Marine team held a CPR and first aid training programme with the guidelines for Goa Coastal Police at Betul recently.

Lifeguards have been briefed to keep a distance of two metres between themselves and others at all times and to use whistles and hailers to give instructions to people present on the beach. With Goa having completely opened up for tourism and beachgoers making a bee-line for the shores, Goa’s beaches have witnessed a swell in visitors.