What to do
- 1Stay calm and assess — what's happening, who else is at risk, what's nearby to use. If the victim goes under, remember where.
- 2Call for help — make sure someone alerts lifeguards or emergency services; you keep watching the victim.
- 3REACH — from stable ground, extend a pole, branch, paddle, or towel; lie down and anchor yourself so you can't be pulled in.
- 4THROW — if out of reach, throw a buoyant object (ring buoy, cushion, jug, rope bag) for them to hold.
- 5ROW — if they can't grab a thrown aid, take a boat to them.
- 6GO — last resort, strong swimmers only. Take a floating aid, have the victim grab it, keep the aid between you, and touch them only if you must. Untrained people do NOT do this.
- 7Get them out and get help — support them, get them to safety, and hand off to trained medical help.
Remember it as
Reach, Throw, Row, Go — easiest and safest first.
When to use it
- Any waterfront, pool, boating, or backcountry water emergency.
- Second Class rank work and the Swimming/Lifesaving merit badges.
- Teaching bystanders (including nonswimmers) that they can help safely with reach and throw.
Common mistakes & safety
- DON'T BECOME A SECOND VICTIM — the whole point of the order. A panicking drowning person will climb over and drown a rescuer — that's why you reach and throw from safety first and swim last.
- Nonswimmers and untrained scouts stop at Reach and Throw. These keep you on stable ground; Row and especially Go require training and strong swimming.
- Never swim to a victim unless you're a strong, trained swimmer — and even then, bring a floating aid and avoid direct contact; direct contact is the most dangerous part of a rescue.
- Prevention beats rescue. Safe Swim Defense (supervision, lookout, buddy system, ability groups) exists so it never comes to this.
- Call for help first — a rescue in progress still needs EMS and trained responders on the way.
Going deeper
- Easiest and safest first. The order is deliberate: each step is more dangerous than the last, so you only escalate when you must.
- Reach and throw need no swimming. A nonswimmer on a dock can save a life with a pole or a thrown cushion — which is why everyone learns these.
- "Throw, don't go." The lifeguard's mantra for bystanders: a thrown flotation almost always beats swimming out.
Official source
Reach, Throw, Row, Go — Scout Life →This is life-or-death rescue guidance — the Lifesaving merit badge teaches trained in-water rescue. Confirm against current Lifesaving/Red Cross materials.