Swim with an aid – in the water utilising some form of small buoyant object to assist. Ideally the tow should be non contact. This means using any items available – a stick, an item of clothing etc. to maintain a distance between the rescuers and the person in difficulty. The rescuer has to be able to ‘survive” water conditions which have placed another person in need of rescuing. The rescuer needs to seriously consider their own capabilities, possible entry and exit points and the need to enter the water before doing so
Tow – totally unaided, relying on your own swimming ability to keep yourself safe and rescue a person in difficulty – quite often in adverse environmental conditions. The option of last resort should be a contact tow where the rescuer physically makes contact with the person in difficulty. This increases the risk of the patient endangering the rescuer by grabbing them and forcing them under water. Tow is usually with the unconscious person only