“Float First”: trapped air between clothing layers significantly improves buoyancy on water immersion in adults, adolescents and children

Approximately 450,000 people drown annually worldwide. The capacity of immersed adults and children to float in clothing is less well understood, but it is possible that air trapped between clothing layers increases buoyancy. These studies aimed to quantify buoyancy and the practical implications thereof. Study 1 (n= 24) quantified this buoyancy and the consequence of any buoyancy by measurement of airway freeboard (mouth to water level distance). Study 2 examined the capability of children (n = 29) to float with freeboard used as the outcome measure and is expressed as a percentage of occasions that freeboard was achieved. Buoyancy (measured in newtons; N) was provided for winter clothing as 105(± 12)N, for autumn/spring clothing as 87(± 13)N, and for summer clothing as 68(± 11)N. In all cases, buoyancy was greater than for the control condition of 61(± 11)N. Aver age freeboard was 63(± 2) % for winter clothing, 62(± 2) % for autumn/spring clothing, 66(± 2)% for summer clothing, and 15(± 1)% for the control condition. Children were more buoyant, 95(± 17)% freeboard, irrespective of gender, than adults. "Float first" is advocated as a primary survival mechanism.