Shark Week is putting renewed attention on shark bite survival as recent incidents have raised concern along the water.

Jesse Watters hosted Chris Fischer, founder of OCEARCH, to discuss what was described as an early surge in shark attacks this summer.

The recent incidents cited include a New York beach closure due to bull sharks, a swimmer bitten in Queens and a child attacked in water that was knee deep in Florida.

Although shark encounters remain exceedingly rare, an unexpected bite can quickly become an immediate and life threatening emergency.

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In the first five minutes after an attack, fast action can become the most important factor in survival.

Dr. Kenneth J. Perry, an emergency medicine physician based in South Carolina, outlined the urgent steps that victims and bystanders should take before professional medical care arrives.

The first priority is to get the victim onto land or a boat. That step helps prevent additional bites and also removes the risk of drowning.

Once the person is out of the water, attention should move immediately to controlling bleeding.

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"Shark bites vary in intensity and severity, but the main issue that all of them share is the need to stop the bleeding," Perry told Fox News Digital.

The concern is that shark teeth can tear through major arteries, veins and tendons. Because of that, uncontrolled blood loss is the most urgent immediate threat after a serious bite.

For severe injuries to a limb, Perry said a tourniquet is essential. However, he noted that many people do not apply enough pressure for it to work effectively.

The tourniquet must be placed above the wound and tightened until a pulse can no longer be felt, according to Perry.

For example, if a victim is bitten near the elbow, the tourniquet should be placed around the upper bicep and tightened until the pulse at the wrist disappears completely.

"It may be painful , but it is necessary," Perry noted.

That advice aligns with national trauma protocols from the American College of Surgeons' Stop the Bleed initiative, which emphasizes that proper tourniquet placement requires firm, tight compression to fully stop arterial blood flow.

Perry also cautioned that tourniquets are temporary tools and should be used for as short a time as possible. He said there is a maximum window of about two hours before tissue damage occurs because of a lack of oxygenated blood flow.

A tourniquet is a tight band or device placed around a bleeding limb to compress blood vessels and temporarily stop blood flow during a life threatening hemorrhage.

If a person is stranded in a remote location and immediate emergency transport is not available, Perry recommends using a pressure dressing instead.

That method involves folding gauze multiple times, placing it directly over the specific point of bleeding and wrapping it tightly.

A pressure dressing does not stop blood loss as completely as a tourniquet. However, Perry said it carries a much lower risk of tissue necrosis, or death, during a prolonged wait.

Bystanders also play an important role beyond physical first aid. Perry said they should help the victim remain still and quiet.

Panic raises heart rate and blood pressure, which can accelerate blood loss, the doctor noted.

Perry said loss of consciousness after a shark attack can have more than one cause. A sudden drop in blood pressure and the body's stress response may cause fainting.

If the victim was deep underwater and surfaced too quickly during the attack, unconsciousness could signal a pressure related diving injury. Perry identified arterial gas embolism or barotrauma as possible concerns that require emergency treatment.

Although bleeding control is critical in the first five minutes, recovery can also involve fighting severe marine bacteria.

Perry warned that aquatic bites are notorious sources of aggressive skin and soft tissue infections such as cellulitis.

Once a patient is resuscitated with fluids and blood products at a medical facility, aggressive antibiotic treatment usually follows.

The guidance underscores the narrow and urgent window after a shark bite, when getting out of the water, stopping the bleeding and keeping the victim calm can shape what happens before medical professionals arrive.

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