Worried about a shark bite? Here are the steps you can take to help save a life
By: Krysten Brenlla
Florida living means year-round access to the beach. However, taking a swim in the ocean doesn’t come without risks – like shark bites or attacks.
While it’s unlikely for a person to be bitten by a shark in Florida waters, it’s not impossible. Most attacks on humans are due to curiosity, confusion, or the shark being provoked.
There are steps you can take to reduce your chances of being bitten. If you or someone around you is attacked by a shark, there are also things you can do to help stop the bleeding and save a life.
Pack a medical kit for bleeding control or life-threatening bleeding.
If you’re planning a beach or boat day, prepare by packing a personal medical kit. The American College of Surgeons’ STOP THE BLEED® program, a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Defense, has commercial-grade personal medical kits that include life-saving items to stop bleeding, like tourniquets. It’s the only program used by the team at Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial.
Stay as calm as you can.
If you come into contact with a shark in the ocean, stay as calm as possible – sharks can sense fear. Keep your eyes on the shark. If you’re bitten or attacked, get out of the water calmly by swimming on your back, and continue to keep your eye on the shark to not provoke or attract it more. Make sure to let anyone else in the water know there’s a shark nearby. If there’s a lifeguard available, alert them and immediately call 911. If you don’t have cell reception, the lifeguard can radio 911 for help.
Once you’re out of the water safely, assess the bleeding and try to stop the bleed.
If you’re bitten by a shark and you start to feel weak or like you may lose consciousness, lay on your side to leave your airway open. If there’s a bleed in the inner thigh, upper arm, or leg, immediately apply pressure with both hands directly to the wound. The bleed will need to be controlled to avoid shock and extreme blood loss. If the wound is deep, pack a clean bandage or cloth (don’t use towels for this; they can act like a sponge and cause you to bleed more) tightly into the wound, and continue holding pressure until an ambulance arrives. Keep yourself or the person attacked warm in towels, in case of shock.
Apply a tourniquet.
Massive bleeds are life threatening – victims can die within five to 10 minutes if nothing is done. The best way to stop the bleed from a shark bite is to apply a commercial-grade tourniquet, found in a medical kit. If you do not have access to a commercial-grade tourniquet, pack the wound with a clean bandage, gauze, or cloth (remember to avoid towels for this), and continue to hold pressure with both hands until EMS arrives.
Place the tourniquet two to three inches above the wound and avoid joints, if possible. Adjust the tourniquet to make sure it’s as tight as possible. Twist the tourniquet until the bleeding stops (usually, two to three twists) – it will be painful, but crucial to stop the bleed. Secure the tourniquet to prevent unwinding, and make sure to note when it was applied. Most importantly, don’t remove the tourniquet.
Once the tourniquet is on, you have more time to stabilize the wound, get medical attention, and potentially save a life.