Approximately when does the ability to effectively swim or self-rescue end due to incapacitation?
Answer
Around the 10-minute mark
While the initial respiratory shock (gasping and hyperventilation) passes within three minutes, the window for active self-rescue closes much sooner due to the onset of Cold Incapacitation. The ability to perform necessary coordinated physical tasks, such as maintaining a strong grip or swimming effectively to reach safety or a flotation device, typically ends around the 10-minute mark. This means that even if a person survives the initial three-minute respiratory crisis, they only have roughly seven more minutes of functional limb use before incapacitation renders self-rescue extremely difficult or impossible, underscoring the rapid compression of the decision window for action.
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