The rescuer must bring the victim to the surface by grabbing either (or both) of the victims arms and swimming upward, which may entice the victim to travel in the same direction, thus making the task easier, especially in the case of an unconscious victim. Should the victim be located in deeper waters (or simply complicates matters too much) the rescuer should dive, take the victim from behind, and ascend vertically to the water surface holding the victim. After a successful contact with the victim, any ballast (such as weight belt) should be discarded. Finally, the victim must be taken out of the water, which is achieved by a towing maneuver. This is commonly done placing the victim body in a face-up horizontal position, passing one hand under the victims armpit to then grab the jaw with it, and towing by swimming backwards. The victims mouth and nose must be kept above the water surface. If the person is cooperative, the towing may be done in a similar fashion with the hands going under the victims armpits. Other styles of towing are possible, but all of them keeping the victims mouth and nose above the water. Unconscious people may be pulled in an easier way: pulling on a wrist or on the shirt while they are in a face-up horizontal position.
Drowning is a type of suffocation induced by the submersion of the mouth and nose in a liquid. Most instances of fatal drowning occur alone or in situations where others present are either unaware of the victims situation or unable to offer assistance. After successful resuscitation, drowning victims may experience breathing problems, vomiting, confusion, or unconsciousness. Occasionally, victims may not begin experiencing these symptoms until several hours after they are rescued. An incident of drowning can also cause further complications for victims due to low body temperature, aspiration of vomit, or acute respiratory distress syndrome (respiratory failure from lung inflammation). Drowning is more likely to happen when spending extended periods of time near large bodies of water. Risk factors for drowning include  alcohol use, drug use, epilepsy, low socioeconomic status (which is often accompanied by diminished or non-existent swimming skills), lack of training and, in the case of children, a lack of supervision. Common drowning locations include natural and man-made bodies of water, bathtubs, and swimming pools.Drowning occurs when an individual spends too much time with their nose and mouth submerged in a liquid to the point of being unable to breathe. If this is not followed by an exit to the surface, low oxygen levels and excess carbon dioxide in the blood trigger a neurological state of breathing emergency, which results in increased physical distress and occasional contractions of the vocal folds.