What is the primary goal when responding to a head injury in a pool setting?

The primary goal when responding to a head injury in a pool setting is to minimize movement and prevent further injury. This approach is vital because any movement of the head or neck can exacerbate a potential spinal injury or worsen the condition of the patient. It's essential to stabilize the injured individual to reduce the risk of additional damage before emergency medical services arrive. By keeping the victim still, you help limit further trauma and ensure that their condition does not deteriorate due to unintentional movement.

While ensuring that the patron is removed from the pool deck or assessing the situation with other patrons is important for overall safety and crowd management, those actions should not take precedence over stabilizing the injured person's condition. Gathering emergency equipment will be necessary for providing further care, but the priority must always be to protect the individual from potential harm caused by movement.