Hands Only CPR vs CPR With Breaths

The ability to perform CPR is very important in whitewater due to the constant risk of drowning. Equally important to having the ability to administer CPR to a submersion or drowning victim, is the method of CPR used. Because in a drowning event, “Hands-only” CPR only circulates non-oxygenated blood to the brain and other vital organs, hands-only CPR is not effective in most cases of submersion or drowning. Instead, “conventional” CPR used with breaths (i.e. “mouth to mouth”) is preferred in whitewater settings, and it is what we advocate for in our safety protocols at Triad River Tours.

Drowning is what is known as a “hypoxic” event, where the onset of cardiac arrest is a result of respiratory arrest and lack of oxygen. In this case, oxygen needs to be reintroduced to the body as soon as possible, and the effective way to do this is by introducing fresh air into the victims lungs (i.e. “mouth to mouth”).

Every Triad River Tours guide is required to carry a CPR mask on them if possible, and there is a CPR mask in every one of our First Aid kits.

Resource Link: https://lifesaving.com/in-the-news/hands-only-cpr-is-not-appropriate-for-drowning-victims/