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This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. Please help improve the article by providing more context for the reader. (April 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Death grip" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A death grip is an extremely tight grip, such as that exerted by people in a panic for fear for their life. This was commonly thought to be a risk when rescuing drowning people—that they would cling to their rescuer with a death grip which would cause them both to perish. Investigation showed that this did not actually happen in practice and so breaking a death grip is no longer emphasised in lifesaving. The actual behaviour of drowning people is more passive as they lack the oxygen to take violent action and an instinctive paddling reflex occurs. An untrained individual should not approach anyone in a state of panic who represents a danger to the rescuer, and it is advised to wait until it is safe to attempt to rescue and resuscitate them.

References

1. Keith Monroe (May–June 2003), "The Way it Was: Breaking the 'Death Grip'", Scouting, Boy Scouts of America: 12–13, retrieved December 4, 2012

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