Decide
What is the RNLI’s first advice if you fall into cold water?
The lesson in plain words
- Float to Live
- The RNLI’s Float to Live advice, based on Professor Mike Tipton’s research, works for most people.
- Lean back with your ears in the water and your face up.
- Spread your arms and legs, and use small hand movements to stay afloat if you need to.
- Try to relax and get your breathing under control.
- It takes about 60 to 90 seconds.
- Why not swim?
- Thrashing and swimming hard during cold shock makes you breathe water in, strains the heart and squeezes air out of your clothes, so you float lower.
- Your clothing traps air and helps you float, so keep it on.
- Most people can float, using small hand movements if needed.
- Once your breathing is calm, you can think, shout and look around.
- Then make a plan
- Once you have control, call for help, wave an arm or blow your whistle, and look for something to hold.
- Swim only if safety is very close: a ladder, a lifebuoy or a boat a few strokes away.
- Otherwise conserve heat and energy, stay with flotation and avoid unnecessary swimming.
- You will drift with wind and current.
- With a lifejacket
- A fitted, fastened lifejacket helps keep your mouth clear, but waves can cover your face.
- Fasten the crotch strap to stop the jacket riding up.
- Pull the spray hood, a cover against spray, over your face in waves.
- With the jacket supporting you, bring your knees up and cross your arms in the HELP position (heat escape lessening posture), only while your airway stays clear.
- To huddle, face each other, link arms and keep your chests close, with mouths clear of the water.
- Stay with the boat
- If a dinghy or yacht capsizes, stay with it.
- It is bigger and easier to see than a head in the water, and you may be able to climb partly out.
- Leaving it to swim for shore is one of the most common fatal mistakes.
Key data
- Float to Live
- Lean back, ears in, arms and legs out, calm breathing
- Time to calm breathing
- About 60–90 seconds
- Clothing
- Keep it on: trapped air helps you float
- HELP position
- Knees up, arms crossed, lifejacket on; only with airway clear
Key points
- Fight the urge to swim hard: lean back and float until the cold shock passes.
- Keep your clothes on; trapped air helps you float.
- Swim only if safety is a few strokes away.
- In a lifejacket: crotch strap fastened, spray hood down; HELP or huddle only while your airway stays clear.
- Stay with a capsized boat.
Check what you have read
Why should you keep your clothes on in the water?
True or false?
Decide each statement before you see the answer.
Swim straight for the boat as soon as you surface.
Stay with a capsized boat.
In a lifejacket: crotch strap fastened, spray hood down; HELP or huddle only while your airway stays clear.
Take off heavy clothes and boots so you can swim.
Practice case & exam keys
Situation
Your small inflatable motorboat overturns in a sudden strong gust, 400 m from a beach. The water is 14 °C. You and a friend wear lifejackets with spray hoods; the upturned hull is floating beside you.
Show the answer
Grab the hull if you can reach it safely. Lean back in your lifejackets and control your breathing. Stay with the upturned hull: it is easier to see, and you may be able to climb partly onto it. Do not swim for the beach. Raise the alarm with a waterproof handheld radio or personal locator beacon if you have one. Use the spray hoods in waves and huddle together while keeping your airways clear.
Exam keys
- Float to Live: lean back, ears in, relax, control breathing (usually 60–90 seconds); grab a secure handhold within reach.
- Keep clothing on.
- Lifejacket: crotch strap and spray hood; HELP or huddle only while your airway stays clear.
- Stay with a capsized boat; swim only if safety is very close.