Swift Water Rescue Techniques

Pedernales Fire Department

February 21, 2012

Post 8

• Swiftwater rescue is one of the most dangerous of all technical rescue operations performed by fire-rescue teams.

• Nearly half of all deaths in swift water are would-be rescuers, including Good Samaritans. By endangering your life, you are also endangering the lives of others.

Automobiles are not Boats Vehicles, including heavy trucks, can get

swept away in less than 2-feet of swift water

Never drive through moving water

70% of all rising flood and flash-flood related fatalities are in vehicles

Low Head Dam Rescue Training

This is a very dangerous place to be, even for highly trained swiftwater rescue technicians

River Orientation

River Left

River Right Downstream

Upstream

Water Flow Direction

Swift Water Terms

Upstream • Upstream is back towards the direction current/flow

Downstream • Downstream is the direction the current/flow is going

River Left • River Left is the side toward your left hand while your

back is to the current/flow

River Right • River Right is the side toward your right hand while your

back is to the current/flow

River Center • River Center is the middle of the flow

Terms continued

Drowning: • Obvious to many but that’s what we are trying to

prevent

Entrapment: • What can get victims/rescuers stuck

Trauma: • What can happen to victims/rescuers when swept

downstream

Hypothermia: • Most water in our local area would be considered cold

enough (< 92 deg.) year around to cause Hypothermia (See chart below)

Debris: • Top, floating, suspended and bottom

Terms continued Low head Dams:

• No one other than Swift Water Rescues Techs should attempt any rescue involving Low Head dams

Contaminated Water: • Other than normally running water sources when there is a flood type

situation we need to be aware of possible contaminated water such as from septic/sewer systems and ground water run off

Fixed Obstacles: • Bridge abutments, rocks, culverts and others

Strainers: • Strainers let water pass but not solids to pass through • Examples: Barbed wire, tree limbs, branches, log jams and fences

Eddys • Eddys are usually found behind rocks or other obstacles where the

water reverses itself and is pushed upstream.

Hole • A hole is when water rushes over a rock with such force it's pushed

down and circulates back on itself.

What to do if you end up in the water

Never get into this situation! Stay away from fast moving floodwaters

Remain calm. Don’t waste energy yelling for help after you have been spotted by someone.

Try to float on your back with your legs straight and your feet pointed downstream.

Use your legs to shove yourself away from obstructions.

Keep your head up so that you can see where you are going.

Watch for obstacles and debris! If a tree or other stationary object is blocking the channel, forcing water over it, try to flip over on your stomach and approach the obstacle head-on, crawling over the top of it. Most free-floating victims, who are being swept downstream in swift water, die when they get pinned against obstacles, or get trapped in submerged debris and vegetation.

Be Prepared!

All Department members need to prepare themselves for the possibility of responding to an incident that may involve swift water rescue.

Swift water rescue can be both challenging and dangerous, requiring skill, timing and teamwork in order to be effective.

Remember the time to prepare is now. When we are faced with only minutes to deploy our resources, we must have a well thought out plan to be able to implement an effective rescue with a minimal amount of risk to the first responder.

Be Prepared! continued

During inclement weather, make sure that the swift water rescue equipment on the apparatus in an area that is easily accessible.

Make certain that members have non-skid sole/shoes, or tennis shoes readily available in case they will be working around the water’s edge.

Personal flotation devices and swift water helmets should also be in a position where they can be quickly donned.

Rope throw bags and rescue equipment should be pre-rigged and ready for immediate deployment.

PFD Swift Water SOG

First arriving Company Officers will only initiate water rescue operations after a thorough risk/ benefits analysis

A water rescue should not be undertaken unless victim’s lives are in immediate peril or conditions are rapidly deteriorating

Operations-Level Water Rescue Equipment

Each PFD apparatus will maintain the following specialized water rescue equipment:

• One PFD (personal flotation device) and a swift water rescue helmet for each assigned firefighter riding on the unit

• At least one additional PFD (personal floatation device) for use by a victim.

• Two water rescue throw bags

When Dispatched…

All companies are reminded that during inclement weather, response times may be increased due to associated problems.

The “average” response time to a rescue site for deployment is approximately seven minutes, with an additional three and a half minutes to set-up for a rescue operation.

Arriving on Scene

Size-up – Situation Assessment: • swift water

• water evacuation

• report of persons in water

Risk / benefits analysis: • Life safety issues (victim and firefighters)

• Risks of initiating rescue operation versus delaying until arrival of trained special operations resources

Formulate incident action plan: • control scene

• ensure personnel safety

• initiate rescue

Rescue Operations

Ensure all personnel are equipped and wearing PFD and swift water rescue helmet

Emergency personnel on the scene of a swift water rescue incident shall not wear bunker gear

Establish hot zone – keep personnel and citizens away from water’s edge (minimum 15’)

Assign a Safety Officer.

Position personnel with throw bags, downstream, as back-up safeties should personnel or citizens be swept downstream

Position personnel upstream as spotters to notify of debris moving downstream or any other significant information that could impact downstream rescue operations.

Rescue Operations – Point Last Seen

Determine the speed of the flowing water by the use of an in-water visual indicator. (half filled wet water bottle with fire-line tape tail)

Question witnesses regarding the incident and the victim(s) that may be in the water. The information that will be needed includes: • Number of victims in the water • Age of victim(s) • Time in the water • Type/color of clothing • Swimming ability of victim(s)

Search the immediate area for victim(s)

Relay information downstream to other rescuers

Constantly Monitor Situation Monitor victim’s condition and offer reassurance.

Monitor stream characteristics: • Width / depth / speed

Monitor changes: • Water rising / falling

Monitor weather: • Conditions upstream improving / deteriorating

Assess rescue resources / capabilities: • Throw bags, pike pole, aerial ladder

Rescue Operations continued

Never tie a rescuer to a line in moving water

If a rescue must be initiated, keep the plan as simple as possible and remember the water rescue adage of least hazardous rescue strategies to most hazardous rescue strategies: • “Reach, Throw, Row, Go / Tow, Helo”

River orientation is determined by the following terms (from the aspect of looking downstream). • Upstream

• Downstream

• River right

• River left

Attempt to get PFDs to trapped persons. Instruct persons to don PFDs

Reach, Throw, Row, Go/Tow, Helo Reach

• This can be done with any long rigid object. Such as a pike pole/hook or ladder. But you can use your imagination. (Low Risk)

Throw • 80% of moving water rescues are effected using rope

bags and other throw devices. A rescuer can "throw" a rope bag or other throw device from a stable platform, or dry land

• Using a throw bag of rope or floatation device (Low risk)

Row • Boat of any type

Go/Tow • Rescuer enters the water to effect rescue

Helo • Helicopter rescue

Water Conditions: Velocity

Determining how fast the water is moving can determine different types of rescue.

Throwing a stick or other easily visible object in the moving water and recording the time it takes to travel 100 feet

Water Conditions: Force of Moving Water

Water Conditions: Temperature

This chart does not distinguish between moving (dynamic) and still (static) water. But remember the following, A person suddenly immersed in cold water, especially that colder than 50 F, even if unhurt, immediately begins to suffer life threatening problems. Most of the winter local water temperatures average 50 F to 60 F

Questions?