When responding to a drowning incident, what is the priority after resuscitating a victim?

After resuscitating a drowning victim, the primary focus should be on ensuring that the victim is stable. This includes assessing their vital signs, monitoring their breathing and circulation, and providing any necessary medical interventions until emergency medical services (EMS) arrive. Stabilizing the victim is crucial because even if the person is successfully resuscitated, they may still experience complications from the incident, such as aspiration of water or hypoxia.

While documentation, reporting to authorities, and clearing the area are also important tasks that need to be completed, they come after the immediate concern for the victim's health and safety. If the victim is not stable, these secondary actions can wait until proper medical evaluation and care have been administered to ensure that the individual receives the appropriate attention and support needed for recovery.