Liu Minxia

    mllmx@msn.com

    SHENZHEN’S emergency help system received more than 1,000 calls from people about drowning cases in the past five years, but only a small proportion of those drowning knew how to rescue themselves, according to statistics recently released.

    From 2010 to 2014, Shenzhen’s emergency center received a total of 1,220 calls asking for help for someone drowning, with 240 in 2010, 281 in 2011, 251 in 2012, 222 in 2013, and 226 last year. Among them, only 10 percent of people knew how to respond while they were drowning.

    “The period from May to September is peak season for drowning cases in Shenzhen as many residents choose to beat the heat at the seaside or swimming pools,” said Zhang Fulin, director of the emergency center. “We have tried for years to popularize the knowledge about how to avoid drowning and about self-rescue, but the number of drownings didn’t go down and the number of people who know what to do when drowning is still small.”

    Most of the drownings happened between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends in July and August, the report showed. Nearly 200 drowning cases were reported in the past five years at Dameisha and Xiaomeisha, two popular beach areas in the city.

    The majority of the drowning cases in Dameisha and Xiaomeisha occurred in July, June and August, while Saturday and Sunday are the peak period for drowning cases every week.

    The emergency center advises every resident how to avoid drowning. “Keeping calm is the top thing for a person to do after accidentally falling into the water,” Zhang said. “Don’t count on others to help you. Instead, try to help yourself.”

    The emergency center listed ways to stay afloat: lying on your back and keeping your nose out of the water, maximizing inhaling and minimizing exhaling while doing that.

    The center also told those who try to save others to make full use of available resources, i.e. to toss a rope or a pole to someone in need and pull them to safety, before jumping into the water.

    If they need to jump into the water to save someone, they should take off their clothes, especially their shoes, the center said.

    When most people think of a drowning, they think of splashing, waving and yelling for help, but drowning people are usually unable to call out, the center warned.