What action should be taken if a lifeguard suspects a spinal injury in a victim?

In situations where a lifeguard suspects a spinal injury in a victim, it is crucial to keep the victim still and immobilized. This is important because moving someone who has a potential spinal injury can cause further damage to the spinal cord, potentially leading to paralysis or worsening their condition.

Immobilization is vital to ensure the person does not move their head, neck, or back, which could exacerbate the injury. Lifeguards are trained to support the victim's head and neck while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive. During this time, ensuring the victim remains calm and still can also help alleviate anxiety, which might lead to unintentional movement.

Other actions, such as rapidly extricating the victim or removing them from the water immediately, could put the victim at further risk due to the potential for exacerbating the injury. Inquiring about pain is also important but should not take precedence over the immediate need to immobilize the victim. Therefore, keeping the individual still and immobilized is the safest and most effective action in the case of suspected spinal injury.