What are the four rules when rescuing someone that is drowning?

Are you referring to Reach, Throw, Row and Go? In order, try and rescue a distrssed swimmer by: # Reaching to them from safety (e.g. the deck of the pool) and pulling them up. This approach keeps the rescuer out of the water, allows them more options (go for help, lift the victim out of the water, commence rescure breathing with victim in water, etc.), and is considered the optimal solution, if you can fit it to the situation. Note that reaching can be done with hands, legs, rescue hooks, etc. # Throw a flotation device or retrieval line to the victim. This has most of the good elements of the Reach option, as well as working at a greater distance. On the negative side, the victim must be conscious and conherent to make this work. # Row. The rescuer enters the water, but on a "vehicle". This can be a boat, skiff, dory, etc. but it also can be a Doyle type rescue board or flotation device that also has hydrodynamic properties. The up side is you can quickly reach an unconscious victim, and you have the flotation to help bring them back in. Ther downside is that the rescuer is comitted, and has reduced their options considerably. For instance, once you're in the water with the victim, phoning for help gets to be a lot more problematical. Also, the ersucer is committed to the one rescuse site so, if another victim goes emergent, chance of rescuing that second victim is considerably reduced. # GO. This means enter the water without a vessel. In GO rescues, you'll still need flotation, and performing any sort of in-water rescue without flotation needs to be carefully considered, with an eye to aborting the rescue until flotation can be found or another means presents. GO puts the rescuer in the water with the victim, hopefully in close proximity, which in turn opens up a lot of rescue options (resuscitation, various tows, the ability to closely monitor the victim for changes in condition, etc.). It also fully commits the rescuer to this one course of action. And it places the rescuer in water with what can sometimes be a badluy frightened and therefore dangerous victim. Of the 4, GO rescues generally have the highest incidence of rescuer injury and mortality, and the worst odds on success.