10
Water
Search and
Rescue
10
Objectives (1 of 3)
• Identify the need for water search and
rescue operations.
• Identify various types of water and ice
environments.
• Recognize and identify hazards common
to all types of water.
• Recognize and identify specific hazards
unique to ice, swiftwater, surf/marine, and
underwater environments.
10
Objectives (2 of 3)
• Describe the resources needed to conduct
a water search and rescue operation.
• Describe response planning and incident
management requirements related to a
water search and rescue incident.
• Describe site control operations at a water
rescue incident.
10
Objectives (3 of 3)
• Describe non-entry rescue considerations
at a water rescue incident.
• Describe the NFPA 1670 objectives for the
operations and technician water-rescue
levels, including how they apply to water
rescue resources.
• Explain the modified RETHROG concept.
• Explain each component of the modified
RETHROG mnemonic.
10
Drowning Statistics
• Second leading cause of death in United
States
• On average, three fire fighters die in water
rescue accidents annually.
• Causes include:
– Lack of water rescue training, hazard
awareness, safety equipment
– Alcohol use
10
Water Rescue Pitfalls (1 of 2)
• Being unprepared for the water
environment
• Going near water without wearing PFD
• Assuming all water environments are
same
• Wearing heavy or negatively buoyant PPE
or clothing in/near water
• Ignoring the water temperature
10
Water Rescue Pitfalls (2 of 2)
• Driving vehicles into moving water
• Waiting for 911 calls before seeking help
during floods, large storms
• Assuming boat motor will always work
• Ignoring simple, quick rescue techniques
while waiting to implement high-tech
solution
• Waiting until flood starts to recognize need
for water rescue training, equipment
10
Water Rescue Criteria (1 of 2)
• Water is deep enough to create drowning
risk.
• Water and/or air cold enough to create
hypothermia or heat stress injury risk.
• Water has enough current to create risk of
being swept away.
• Obstacles create risk of injury, entrapment,
or incapacitation.
10
Water Rescue Criteria (2 of 2)
• Energized electrical equipment creates
electrocution risk.
• Waterborne hazardous materials create
exposure to fire risk; corrosive, toxic, or
reactive chemicals; biohazards; or
radiological hazards.
• Water is abundant enough to destroy
community resources and infrastructure.
10
Water Recovery Criteria
• Meets water rescue criteria, plus one or
more of following:
– Victim is known to be dead.
– Victim has been trapped underwater for more
than 90 minutes.
– Victim trapped in water from which there is no
reasonably safe way to accomplish rescue.
10
Applicable Standards (1 of 2)
• NFPA 1006, Standard for Technical
Rescuer Professional Qualifications for:
– Level I and Level II responders
– Establishes organizational requirements to
operate safely, effectively at water rescue
emergencies
10
Applicable Standards (2 of 2)
• NFPA 1670, Standard on Operations and
Training for Technical Search and Rescue
Incidents:
– 2008 edition added a surface water rescue
specialty track
10
Other Standards
• OSHA’s General Duty Clause includes
water rescue
• U.S. Coast Guard regulations
• NFPA 1983 related to rescue rope,
hardware used for technical rope rescues
from water
10
Four Water Specialties
per NFPA 1670
© Willem Dijkstra/
ShutterStock, Inc.
© Photodisc
© Photodisc
© Simon Krzic/
ShutterStock, Inc.
10
Common Misperceptions (1 of 2)
• Only divers who use SCUBA can safely
make water rescues.
• Lifeguards can rescue anyone from any
water condition.
• SCBA and turnout gear can be used for
surface or underwater rescue.
10
Common Misperceptions (2 of 2)
• Responders can use any boat to make a
water rescue.
• Any technical rescue team can affect swiftwater rescue.
10
Water Rescue High Risk
• Those who work near water or as part of
boat crew require:
– NFPA 1670 operations level for non-entry
– NFPA 1006 technician-level for water entry
10
Personal Floatation Devices
• Required for responders who work from
boat, enter water, work from bridges or
structures over water, work within 25 feet
(7.6 m) of water
• Should meet U.S. Coast Guard’s PFD
standards
• May include additional PPE, like wetsuits,
gloves, personal lighting
10
Coast Guard Approved PFDs
Courtesy of The Coleman Company, Inc.
Courtesy of Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, Inc.
Courtesy of Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, Inc.
Courtesy of Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, Inc.
Courtesy of Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, Inc.
10
Basic Water Rescue Equipment
• Throw bags:
(1 of 2)
– Used for virtually any type of water rescue
– May be thrown from shore, boats, piers
• Ring buoy (Type IV PFD):
– Used for conscious and unconscious victim
retrieval
• Rescue disk:
– Similar to throw bag, but may travel twice as
far
10
Basic Water Rescue Equipment
(2 of 2)
Courtesy of Life Safer, Inc. <www.life-safer.com>
10
Rope Rescue Equipment
• Tension diagonal:
– Rope attached to anchor points, uses
mechanical advantage system
• V-lower :
– Uses two ropes to control rescue boat or raft
• X-lower:
– Uses V-lower system with 2 additional ropes
• Boat telfer system:
– Uses highline and pulley
10
Tension Diagonal
Courtesy of Carol Read
10
V-Lower
Courtesy of C.J. Johnson
10
Boat Telfer System
Courtesy of Carol Read
10
Swim Aids
•
•
•
•
•
Dive mask, fins, and snorkel
Boogie boards
River boards
Rescue tubes
Can buoys
10
Rescue Board and Can Buoy
Courtesy of CMC Rescue, Inc. <www.cmcrescue.com>
© jeff gynane/ShutterStock, Inc.
10
Rescue Boat Considerations
•
•
•
•
Type(s) of water involved
Boat size, hull type, propulsion method
Required boat and crew functions
Availability of at least one method for
retrieving unconscious victims
• Ease of victim and rescuer retrieval
10
Examples of Hull Types
Photo of Zodiac Minuteman 420 RAD,
courtesy of Zodiac of North America, Inc.
Courtesy of Oceanid - Water Rescue Craft
Courtesy of SeaArk Boats
10
Boat Propulsion Types (1 of 3)
• Human propulsion:
– Inflatable rafts, specialized raft derivatives
– Nonbailing or self-bailing
• Motorized propulsion:
– Outboard motors
– Inboard motors
– Stern drives
10
Boat Propulsion Types (2 of 3)
• Specialized propulsion:
– Jet pumps
– Jet drives
– Airboats
– Hovercraft
10
Boat Propulsion Types (3 of 3)
Courtesy of Applied Combustion
Technology, Inc.
Courtesy of Ben Waller
© Purestock/age fotostock
10
Water Rescue Navigation
Equipment
• Land based:
– Topographical maps, GPS
– NASAR’s FUNSAR course
• Water based:
– GPS systems, radar systems, sonar systems,
marine navigation charts, navigational aids
like channel markers, navigation buoys
10
SAR Equipment
• GPS systems
• Flashlight, strobe lights, chemical light
sticks
• Standard boating distress flare guns,
hand-held flares
• Boating smoke flares or smoke grenades
(daytime use)
• Thermal imaging camera (TIC)
10
GPS System
Courtesy of Garmin International
10
Thermal Imaging Camera
Courtesy of ISG/INFRASYS
10
TIC Characteristics
• Useful for locating victims in water, especially at
night, in fog, heavy rain, or low-visibility
conditions
• Effective only if part of victim’s body at or above
water’s surface and few degrees warmer than
water
• Cannot see below water’s surface
• Cannot detect victim or object with temperature
same or close to water temperature
10
EMS Resources (1 of 2)
• BLS or ALS required at water rescue:
– Type I Swiftwater Rescue Teams must have
ALS
• “Rescue first, then medical” depending on
conditions
• Water rescue teams must be able to
provide:
– CPR, spinal immobilization, rewarming,
rehydration, bandaging
10
EMS Resources (2 of 2)
Courtesy of Ben Waller
Courtesy of Ben Waller
10
Water Rescue Victims
• May be suffering from hypoxia from neardrowning, hazardous materials exposure,
traumatic injuries, medical emergencies
• Require ALS provider for care upon
leaving water
10
Access and Egress Equipment
• Victim packaging and transfer devices:
– Long spineboards, Stokes basket litters, other
devices
• Floating spineboards:
– May be used as floatation or swim aids
• Rope rescue equipment:
– May be required
10
Conditions for Applying Spinal
Package
• Deep, calm water:
– Packaging system must float, enough personnel to
support victim and package, requires safe method of
moving victim into boat or to shore
• Shallow-water:
– Shallow end of swimming pool, flat shoreline, beach,
calm eddy
• If water’s edge below grade, may require rope
rescue skills
10
Hazardous Materials Resources
• May be needed to:
– Monitor water quality, research hazardous
materials, determine proper level of PPE,
manage decontamination of victims,
personnel, equipment
• May include local, state health
departments to:
– Assess biohazard threats, provide
immunizations, treat water-acquired diseases
10
Decontamination Includes
• Washing, soaking, rinsing, drying all PPE,
ropes, equipment, boats to manufacturer’s
specifications
• Disposing of gear exposed to serious
chemical contamination
• Following basic water rescue
decontamination rules
10
Communications (1 of 3)
• Competent equipment is necessary to
maintain full-time communications among
personnel.
• Line of sight of incident operations are
preferred.
• Hard-wired or wireless underwater
communication systems may be required.
– Use diver’s tether rope in emergency.
10
Communications (2 of 3)
• Handheld fire/rescue radio are required for
all rescue boats.
• Marine radios are required for ocean,
marine, or tidal waters.
10
Communications (3 of 3)
10
IMS Strategic Objectives
• Evaluate the scene and identify potential
victims and locations.
• Minimize hazards to operating personnel
and victims.
• Effectively search water rescue area.
• Effectively rescue and remove victims.
• Minimize further injury to victims during
search, rescue, and removal operations.
10
IMS Positions and Resources (1 of 2)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Incident commander (IC)
Water rescue group supervisor
Boat group supervisor
Safety officer (several for larger incidents)
Rigging group supervisor, if applicable
Planning section chief
10
IMS Positions and Resources (2 of 2)
• Operations branch, multiple rescue
groups, and additional incident
management components may be
required for larger incidents.
• Area command, multiple EOC activations
• State, federal assistance
10
ICS Tactical Benchmarks
•
•
•
•
•
•
Victim location
Boat launch, recovery site identification
Hazard mitigation
Entry team readiness
Rapid intervention capabilities
Emergency medical care for victims
10
Needs Assessment Includes
• Types of water rescue and associated hazards
• Emergency response resource needs
• Written procedures to request agency resources,
mutual aid
• Documentation of training, knowledge levels of
responders
• Private-sector agreements to acquire resources
that cannot be supplied by response agency
10
Preplanning and Training
• Training with initial response agencies,
special rescue teams, public-sector
resources, primary AHJ dispatch agency
• Instructing primary dispatch agency,
personnel about dispatch procedures
• Exposing dispatch personnel to on-scene
environment during training to facilitate
understanding of information, terminology,
and technology use
10
Scene Assessment Information
(1 of 2)
•
•
•
•
Type of water or ice rescue
Number of victims and their visibility
PLS if victim not visible
Can responders communicate the with
victim?
• Is victim trapped, entangled, under water,
beneath ice, or swept away?
10
Scene Assessment Information
(2 of 2)
•
•
•
•
Is the victim injured?
Presence of contamination, hazards posed
Training level of responders
Availability of necessary resources for
rescue
10
Water Hazards (1 of 3)
• Natural hazards:
– Drowning, current, obstructions, predatory
animals, sharp shells or rocks, quicksand,
pluff mud, underwater caves
• Human-made hazards:
– Bridges, piers, dams, shipping, sunken
vessels, loose fishing nets, chemical and
biological hazards, electricity sources
10
Water Hazards (2 of 3)
• Physical Hazards:
– Dams, piers, flood control channels, culverts,
storm drains, low-water crossings, flooded
structures, bridges, piers, sunken boats or
ships
– Electrical hazards: flooded residences,
businesses, electrical production and
transmission facilities
10
Water Hazards (3 of 3)
Courtesy of Marvin Nauman/FEMA
10
NFPA Type-Specific Dive Rescue
Hazards
•
•
•
•
•
Equipment failure
Running out of air
Entanglement or entrapment underwater
Barotrauma: squeeze, bends
Medical emergencies occurring
underwater
10
Ice Rescue Hazards
• Breaking through ice into water
• Exposure to extremely cold air, ice, water
temperatures: hypothermia
• Underwater currents
• Vehicles and aircraft plunging through ice
• Ice surface changes related to
temperature fluctuations
10
Surf Rescue Hazards
• Surf breaking directly on beach, sand bar,
reef
• Ships, boats, drifting objects, piers, fishing
nets or lines, pipe or power line crossings
• Tidal currents, rip currents
• Marine animals
10
Swiftwater Rescue Hazards
• Current’s force and power:
– Quantified by calculating water speed and
multiplying by approximate square footage of
river channel
– Or measure force when applied to person or
object
• Lack of planning, underestimation of
water’s power in relation to flooding
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(1 of 8)
• Laminar flow:
– Differences in current speed and force in
different parts of stream or channel
• Horizontal helical flow:
– Water moves in circular motion, parallel with
river’s surface
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(2 of 8)
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(3 of 8)
© Stacey Lynn Payne/Dreamstime.com
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(4 of 8)
• Hydraulic flow:
– Vertical flow that occurs perpendicular to
laminar flow, creates circular current flowing
upstream toward obstruction
• Eddy fence:
– Vertical exaggeration of normal horizontal
eddy line, usually in high-water
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(5 of 8)
Courtesy of T.M. Smalley—MN DNR
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(6 of 8)
• Confused flow:
– Chaotic water where two or more current
flows meet
• Tidal flow:
– Current flows in reverse direction with tide
cycle; ebb tides may conceal hidden
obstacles
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(7 of 8)
Courtesy of Ben Waller
10
Swiftwater Current Categories
(8 of 8)
© Michael Zysman/ShutterStock, Inc.
10
Other River Features
• Pillows:
– Form on upstream side of obstructions
• Holes:
– Depressions in water’s surface found
immediately downstream of standing wave
• River waves:
– Wave stays in place while water moves
through it (standing waves)
10
Objects in Water are Swiftwater
Hazards
Courtesy of Marvin
Nauman/FEMA
© R. Filip/ShutterStock, Inc.
Courtesy of David
Savile/FEMA
10
Phases of a Flood
•
•
•
•
Phase one: pre-flood phase
Phase two: emergency phase
Phase three: stabilization phase
Phase four: recovery phase
10
Hazard Mitigation
• Elimination or reduction possible for many
water hazards, like contaminants
• Reduction of current flow in damcontrolled rivers
• Limitation or denial of access to nonrescue personnel
– Note: mitigation may not be possible for largescale events
10
Nonentry Rescue Possible in
Some Situations
• Assisting victim has been able to selfrescue and is onshore or at edge of calm
body of water.
• Throwing victim buoyant object like Type
IV PFD, boat cushion, anything that floats
• Awareness-level responders should not
enter water to attempt rescue under any
circumstances.
10
Modified RETHROG
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Talk
Reach
Throw/Wade
Techno
Helo
Row
Go
Tow
No Go
10
Victim Care Considerations (1 of 2)
• Victim removal from water to safe
environment is the number one victim care
priority.
• Victim removal may require different
techniques, equipment:
– Parbuckling, rescue davits, hull doors, dive
platforms
• Victim packaging in water may involve
various water conditions.
10
Victim Care Considerations (2 of 2)
Courtesy of Ben Waller
10
Summary (1 of 2)
• Water rescue victims may be located in a
wide variety of water sources.
• Water rescue emergencies require
specialized resources, including rescue
equipment, trained rescue teams, and
EMS.
• Water rescue hazards vary and include
drowning, entrapment, trauma, physical
hazards, wildlife hazards, and
contamination, to name a few.
10
Summary (2 of 2)
• Situations may require hazardous
materials and other specialists.
• Awareness-level responders may be able
to attempt non-entry retrieval of victims.
• Awareness-level responders should never
attempt to water rescue entry.