Deck 26: Water Emergencies

Question 1

Drowning is the ________ common cause of death from unintentional injury.

A) first
B) second
C) third
D) fourth

Answer 1

fourth

Question 2

Recent studies indicate that most children drown in:

A) toilets.
B) home swimming pools.
C) 5-gallon buckets.
D) bathtubs.

Answer 2

home swimming pools.

Question 3

Autopsies reveal that only about ________ percent of all drowning victims aspirate a significant amount of water or vomit.

A) 5
B) 15
C) 20
D) 30

Answer 3

15

Question 4

The poorest prognosis for drowning victims is for those submerged in:

A) cold water.
B) deep water.
C) warm water.
D) shallow water.

Question 5

You should never attempt to reach a drowning victim unless you:

A) have been trained in water-rescue techniques.
B) are wearing warm clothes.
C) are able to do it alone.
D) have been trained in CPR.

Question 6

During active drowning, the victim is often:

A) kicking violently.
B) screaming for help.
C) lying flat in the water.
D) vertical in the water.

Question 7

When a person dives into cold water, the mammalian diving reflex may play a part in:

A) the recovery of any traumatic head injury.
B) the development of shock.
C) survival after prolonged submersion.
D) the development of hypothermia.

Question 8

Passive drowning is when:

A) the victim is not breathing and face down.
B) the victim is vertical in the water fighting to breathe.
C) the victim is always found submerged.
D) the victim is found not wearing a life preserver.

Question 9

The best way to rescue a conscious drowning victim who is too far away to reach is to:

A) swim out to where the victim is.
B) throw the victim a life preserver and encourage him to swim to shore.
C) throw out a floating object tied to a rope and tow the victim to shore.
D) wait for a friend and then proceed into the water.

Question 10

You should always suspect spinal injury in any swimmer who is:

A) under 8 years old.
B) unconscious.
C) inexperienced.
D) elderly.

Question 11

Which of the following is not a good throwing assist device to use with a conscious drowning victim?

A) ring buoy
B) heaving line
C) throw bag
D) 4 × 4 lumber float

Question 12

In secondary drowning, the victim is resuscitated but dies within ________ hours of the incident, usually from aspiration pneumonia.

A) 24
B) 48
C) 72
D) 96

Question 13

The outcome for a near-drowning is best when victims are submerged for less than 5 minutes and when CPR is started within ________ of submersion.

A) 5 minutes
B) 10 minutes
C) 15 minutes
D) 30 minutes

Question 14

An unconscious drowning victim is 15 feet off-shore in waist deep water. Once you get to the victim, you find he/she is not breathing. You should:

A) start rescue breathing and move him/her toward shore.
B) start rescue breathing once you get him/her on shore.
C) forget rescue breathing; he/she needs AED.
D) start rescue breathing and chest compression in the water.

Question 15

________ in the airway can cause resistance to ventilations.

A) Swelling
B) Muscle spasms
C) Water
D) Saliva

Question 16

When caring for a near-drowning victim, the first thing you should do is:

A) activate the EMS system.
B) remove the victim from the water.
C) provide artificial ventilations.
D) place the victim on a backboard.

Question 17

If you do not suspect spinal injury in a near-drowning victim, after removing the victim from the water, place him/her:

A) in a semisitting position.
B) out flat on his/her back.
C) on his/her left side.
D) on a backboard.

Question 18

A near-drowning victim should always be:

A) treated for shock.
B) given CPR.
C) watched carefully for at least eight hours.
D) taken to a medical facility.

Question 19

Approximately 15 percent of all drowning deaths are due to:

A) secondary complications.
B) aspiration of water.
C) improper first aid care.
D) spinal injuries.

Question 20

If a drowning or near-drowning victim is not breathing, begin rescue breathing:

A) as soon as the victim is out of the water.
B) after placing the victim on a backboard.
C) immediately in the water.
D) as soon as additional help arrives.

Question 21

In a diving emergency, you should always assume that someone who dives into shallow water and is conscious:

A) has multiple fractures.
B) is in cardiac arrest.
C) has aspirated a great deal of water.
D) has spinal injuries.

Question 22

A diving injury in which gases (usually nitrogen) enter the bloodstream is:

A) decompression sickness.
B) an air embolism.
C) barotrauma.
D) hydraulic compression.

Question 23

Which one of the following deepwater diving emergencies has a gradual onset?

A) air embolism
B) decompression sickness
C) barotrauma
D) hydraulic compression

Question 24

A diving emergency that generally occurs because of holding one's breath is:

A) barotrauma.
B) air embolism.
C) decompression sickness.
D) hydraulic compression.

Question 25

All of the following are signs and symptoms of air embolism except:

A) frothy blood in the nose and mouth.
B) loss or distortion of memory.
C) swelling and crepitus in the neck.
D) inability to void the bladder.

Question 26

Which one of the following water emergencies can cause permanent blindness or deafness if the victim is not immediately cared for at a medical facility?

A) barotrauma
B) air embolism
C) decompression sickness
D) hypothermia

Question 27

"Wet"
drowning occurs when a severe muscle spasm of the larynx cuts off respirations; additionally, it does not allow for aspiration of a significant amount of fluid into the lungs.

Question 28

Generally, you can resuscitate victims who have been submerged in cold water, even after 30 minutes.

Question 29

The most frequent drowning victim is a child between 5-10 years of age.

Question 30

A near-drowning victim can develop complications and die up to 48 to 72 hours after the incident.

Question 31

The mammalian diving reflex enables victims in warm water to survive for longer than those in cold water.

Question 32

You should always assume that a victim of a diving accident has sustained spinal injury, unless the victim is conscious.

Question 33

There are two basic types of drowning: active and passive.

Question 34

Hypothermia slows metabolism and reduces the body's need for oxygen.

Question 35

The diving reflex may play a part in survival after prolonged submersion.

Question 36

A shepherd's crook can be used to pull an unconscious swimmer from the bottom of a pool.

Question 37

When throwing an object attached by a rope to a conscious drowning victim, throw the object past the victim so that he/she can grab the rope or object.

Question 38

A near-drowning victim needs to be taken to a hospital or medical facility, even if you think the danger has passed.

Question 39

If a person falls through the ice on a lake, you should rescue them by walking onto the ice with a pole for him/her to grab.

Question 40

Near-drowning victims with possible spinal injuries should have in-line immobilization and be secured to a backboard before being removed from the water.

Question 41

Two deepwater diving emergencies that require recompression are air embolism and the squeeze.

Question 42

During an ice-emergency rescue, never go near the edge of the broken ice unless there is someone to support you.

Question 43

Decompression sickness is sometimes referred to as the "squeeze."

Question 44

Both air embolism and decompression sickness are emergencies that require recompression.

Question 45

The onset of signs and symptoms of an air embolism can be very gradual in nature.

Question 46

A grating sound under the skin is also called crepitus.

Question 47

The mammalian diving reflex is much more prominent in warm water than it is in cold water.

Question 48

Eardrums and the sinus may rupture during barotrauma.