Eficacia del Quick Rescue (dispositivo flotante autoinflable para el rescate de ahogados en el mar) en comparación con el tubo y la boya de rescate

espanolObjetivos. El Quick Rescue es un nuevo dispositivo flotante de rescate (DFR) autoinflable. Se compara su eficacia frente al tubo y la boya de rescate ante una victima con distres en el mar, y la fatiga del socorrista tras los rescates con los distintos DFR. Metodo. Estudio cuasiexperimental con aleatorizacion de condiciones (sin DFR, con tubo de rescate, con boya de rescate y con Quick Rescue). Cada participante realizo cuatro rescates de victima con distres a 100 m en el mar, con estandarizacion de las condiciones ambientales, tipo de victima y playa. Se registro el tiempo de rescate (total, aproximacion, control de victima y remolque) y la percepcion del esfuerzo (total y segmentaria) de los socorristas. Resultados. En general, no hubo diferencias entre las cuatro condiciones en los tiempos de rescate. A excepcion del tiempo de control de la victima, que sin material fue en torno a 3 segundos inferior que en las tres condiciones con DFR (p Conclusiones. El DFR autoinflable Quick Rescue presenta una validez similar a los DFR habituales en relacion a los tiempos de rescate y la fatiga. Por lo tanto, recomendamos su uso para victimas distres en el mar. EnglishObjectives. To compare the efficacy of the new self-inflatable Quick Rescue (QR) flotation device to conventional tube and buoy devices. To compare lifeguard fatigue after rescues with different flotation devices. Methods. Forty lifeguards participated in this quasi-experimental field study. Each performed simulated rescues of sea swimmers in distress under 4 conditions (no device, the QR device, a tube, and a buoy) assigned in random order. The swimmer in distress was located at a distance of 100 m. Ambient conditions, victim type, and beach were standardized. Participants underwent training to use the inflatable QR float and all other devices. Expertise was defined as a score of at least 3 on a Likert scale of 1 to 5. We recorded rescue times (total, and approaching, securing and towing back the distressed swimmer) as well as the lifeguards’ perceptions of effort (overall and for each stage). Results. Most rescue times did not differ between conditions, with the exception of time needed to secure the victim, which was shorter by 3 seconds when no device was used (P Conclusions. The new self-inflating QR device is as useful as other flotation devices in terms of rescue times and effort expended by lifeguards. We can therefore recommend its use for rescuing sea swimmers in distress.