Welcome to Still Water Rescue Operation Level Training

1. Welcome toStill Water Rescue Operation Level Training

2. The Goal of this class: • Ensure personal safety during water emergency operation. • Identify all possible hazards. • Fully utilize all witnesses. • Conduct shore-based rescue operations

3. What Equipment do we use? Recues Tube Datum Point

4. Surface WaterFact Sheet • 2/3 of the earth is water • ½ the earths population will enter the water each year • #1 outdoor recreation is water activities • #2 cause of accidental deaths for people under 44 is drowning • #3 cause of accidental deaths for all people is drowning • About 5,000 drownings are reported each year • Men drown 4X more than women • 13% of all drownings are 4 years of age or younger • Most drownings occur within 10 ft of safety and 50ft of shore • 2 out of 3 drowning victims are non swimmers • 10% of drowngs occur at guarded pools and beaches • 60% in rual lakes, ponds, streams, and water holes • 30% occur at home • The longest time for submersion with complete recovery was 66 min. (June , 1986, in Salt Lake City, Utah)

5. Signs of a Distressed Swimmer • struggling • keeping head barely out of the water • submerging uncontrollably • gasping, fixed eyes • time in the water for weather conditions and water temp. • You will NOT see: Hollywood style of arm splashing, yelling “I’m Drowning!!””

6. Scene Management • Size Up • Set Zones • Hot - In the Water • Warm- 10ft from Shore, PFD required, Utilize scene tape • Cold- Beyond the scene tape • Establish Command • Determine Rescue Swimmers • Isolate Witnesses • Make a Plan • Call for Resources • Extra Eng. Co. • Dive Team- Mercer Island, Renton, King County Sheriff • Local PD for crowd control • Chaplin(s) Active Rescue Locate Victim

7. Witnesses Utilization • Separate the witnesses to the locations last seen. • Use triangulation for possible datum point. • Do not allow witnesses to compare stories • Location of witness last seen victim (mark with cones) • Time victim last seen • What did they look like (swim ability, age, gender, clothes) • How deep was the water • Was victim alone? • How long have they been missing? • Your calmness is the name of the game!

8. Triangulation • Have the witness go to the same location and position they were in when they saw the victim last. • Place cone at that location until incident is terminated to the end. • Have witness find a fixed object beyond that point for you to see. Document location so it can be used for datum point placement. • Do this with as many witnesses as you can so rescue swimmers can place datum points for possible search sites. • Always remember to also do on-shore searches.

9. Active Rescue of Visible Victims Things to consider… • First on Scene, One on shore(IC) and two rescue swimmers • When rescue swimmers approach Pt. in water, one swimmer affects recue while other acts as back up. • Initiate a surface water rescue • Pt. exam • Incident termination

10. Surface Water Rescue of Non-Visible Victims • Size Up • Zones • Implement the ICS • Conduct a Risk/Benefit Analysis • Primary Assessment • Secondary Assessment • Resource Assessment

11. Cont... • Site control and Scene Mgt. • Assist Rescue Divers, other resources • EMS • Incident Termination

13. Safety First! - Pre-plan - PPE - Size UP - Equipment - IC - Communication - Safety off. - Personal swimming ability - Hazards

14. Personal Safety • How deep is too deep? • When was the last time you went swimming? Do you know your limits? • Do you know what to expect from a panicked person in the water? • Operations level can go into the water up to their waist with a PFD!

15. Operations Level PPE • Minimum, type 3 USCG PFD • with light and whistle • No bunker gear!

16. Types of Thermal Protection:

17. Size Up • What do you have? • What is your plan? • What do you need? • What are you doing?

18. Factors for Size Up: • Safety • Location & number of victims • With or without flotation • Distance from shore • # of victims on surface poss. under water • Hazards • Risk/Benefit, Rescue vs Recovery

19. Hazards • Weather Bottom conditions • Bridges Submerged objects • Docks Boat traffic • Temp. Water

20. Reaching Assist

21. Throwing Assist

22. Human Chain

23. Linear search

24. Half Circle Search

25. Boats/PWC

26. Victim Removal • Victim packaging for water rescue • Info. needed • Neck and back injuries • Rapid extraction

27. What can Operations Level do? • Use PFD’s • Get info./witnesses/cones/Datum Points • Reach and Throw Assist • set up ICS • Set up zones • Set up equipment • EMS • Assist Rescue Swimmers/Divers

28. Your Typical Rescue: • You are first at scene • Grab all your water rescue stuff/PFD’s • Make contact with family/witnesses • What do you have? What do you need? • Is the victim seen or underwater? • What can you safely do? • Separate witnesses and find Datum Points • Use cones, give info., asst. Rescue Swimmers

29. Questions? Please contact one of your shift instuctors: A shift: Tom Craig/Jeff Storey B shift: Mark Vetter/Steve Williams C shift: Kyle Wood/TomTull