Virginia Beach rescue teams save 3 from rip current near rocks at 1st Street Jetty

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. WAVY- On Sunday down at the 1st Street Jetty at Rudee Inlet, crews fought back against fierce rip currents and 15-to-20 mile-per-hour winds. 

Luckily no one was seriously injured, but as it was going on, no one was really sure what would happen. 

Thanks to the Virginia Beach Fire Department we have pictures of the harrowing rescue, where people in the water had to fight against current to stop from washing up on the rocky jetty. 

“There is a permanent rip current, and when you get a northeast wind that is blowing 15-20 like it did Sunday, and with surf that was three to five foot going straight against the rocks, that rip is moving as fast as you can see it. You are not going to get past it,” said Tom Gill, chief of the Virginia Beach Life Saving Service.

Two adults, a man and woman, were taken to hospital for evaluation and a child was unharmed and released to family.  

“These folks wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time and our guards were going down to talk to them, and within seconds they were swept out and everybody jumped into action.” 

Drone video from the fire department shows the waves crashing on the jetty, with swimmers dangerously close to a rocky landing. 

It was a jet ski-involved rescue that ironically had just been trained for last week. The training was going on behind Master Firefighter Sean Millard as WAVY interviewed him on Croatan Beach. 

“Stick time, get behind the skis see how they operate in different conditions, and riding scenarios on the back of the sled as compared to riding tandem,” he said.

Gill added: “The pictures don’t bring the sound of the wind, and the inability to communicate when you are next to each other, and the waves are crashing over your head.” 

10 on Your Side salutes those who helped in this rescue operation: the eight resort lifeguards, three fire-rescue swimmers, Fireboat 12 and Jet Ski 12.

Gill gives credit where credit is due.

“The real big thing was the Fire Boat 12 and Ski 12 stationed right here in the inlet. They were there immediately.” 

The current rescue training is so appropriate for rip currents, wind and rocky jetties.

“Today, our final scenario is a victim into the rocks, every third day we train on it, and it happened last Sunday, so it paid off so its fresh in everyone’s mind. Everyone was on the same page during the Sunday event.”

Shared from 10 on you side wavy.com 

RWC Rescue Loop For Extreme Rescue

 

Pioneered in Hawaii more than 18 years ago by Waterman Archie Kalepa, the goal was to enable quicker rescue pick-ups instead of the left-hand grab. It proved itself in extreme conditions at Peahi (Jaws).

With the help of Archie, Waterman Unlimited designed our RWC (Rescue Water Craft) Rescue Ring for extreme rescue personnel.  Our bright orange, large polypropylene line with a large inner foam soft grip ring, make this the perfect addition to your tow-in, or rescue watercraft. 

For more see this video on Rigging and using the AK Rescue Ring https://youtu.be/BhW_iUiaIFI

Drifting Towards Catastrophe: What Water Rescue Teams Can Learn from Air Medevac Procedures

RWC Operations Risk Management

By Mike Hudson

On a typical, nondescript summer morning, a fire department water rescue team mulled through their morning preventative maintenance and checklists for its personal watercraft (PWC), which includes confirmation of hull integrity, including the insertion of the bilge’s hull plugs. After the checklist was completed, the rookie on the team was ordered to wash and rinse the inside and outside of the primary PWC, which requires the removal of the bilge plugs. Later that day, the team was dispatched to a water rescue “job” for multiple children caught in a rip current at a neighboring beach. Normally, the unwritten rule is to check the plugs before launching the PWC, but the crew deviated from that step and the craft was hastily launched into the four-foot surf; soon after, the engine compartment flooded, rendering the craft inoperable. Read More

Drowning Risks: What You Need to Know and How P2P Rescue Helps

Did you know that drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional deaths with an estimated 360,000 annual drownings worldwide It’s a major public health problem we face, and there are plenty of people, groups, companies and organizations doing helping to prevent drowning, including P2P Rescue! Here’s a few things you should know about drowning risk in our world.

Risk Factors

Age: The three age categories that see the most drownings are 0-5, 20-25, and 60 and older. Drowning is the leading cause of death for toddlers and infants due to the inability to swim, poor adult supervision, and the lack of barriers separating young children from bodies of water. Inadequate supervision is another leading reason why older children are at risk for drowning, as parents sometimes overestimate how well their children obey safety rules when unsupervised. Ages 20-25 see an increase in risk because of participation in water sports and the tendency to be more reckless. For those older than 60, the risk is higher due to difficulty managing themselves in emergency water situations and potential health problems that can lead to heart attacks or low blood pressure while in the water.

Gender: Males are at a higher risk of drowning and are more likely to be hospitalized than females for non-fatal drowning. Studies suggest this is due to an increased exposure to water and generally riskier behavior, including swimming solo and drinking alcohol before swimming or operating a boat alone. Males are also more apt to participate in water sports and live near bodies of water for their careers.

Access to water: There’s always a higher risk when an individual’s occupation is around water, such as working in commercial fishing or using boats. Drowning risk also increases for those who live near open water sources, particularly children in such situations. There’s also a higher risk during warmer months when people travel to bodies of water for vacation and recreation.

Flooding disasters: 75% of drowning deaths occur from natural flooding situations like heavy rain, hurricanes, and tsunamis. This is especially true for people who live in areas that are prone to flooding and have limited options to evacuate.

Drowning Prevention

Although drowning takes a toll around the world, hundreds of thousands of lives are saved every year thanks to trained lifeguards and responders. At P2P Rescue, our goal is to help aid those lifesavers with our unique rescue board designs. From ocean to swift water to flooded conditions, each of our rescue boards are designed to withstand harsh environments and get responders to victims quickly. Take a look at all the boards we offer and see the difference P2P Rescue is making!

Lifeguard Legends/ Big Wave Rescues - North Shore, Oahu

 The lifeguards of the North Shore of Oahu are the modern day sheriffs of the wild west. This film pays tribute to their selfless acts of heroism. A must see for all surf lovers!

Includes rare footage of Duke Kahanamoku and Eddie Aikau. Both Duke and Eddie embodied Hawaii's Aloha Spirit.