EMMU Aerial: Butte County SAR uses new drone to help rescue man...

EMMU Aerial: Butte County SAR uses new drone to help rescue man...:   BUTTE COUNTY, Calif.  - The Butte County Search and Rescue (SAR) team rescued a driver stuck in flood waters on Wednesday. SAR responded...

What is the Minimum Personal Protective Equipment for PWC Operations

 

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) requirements for PWC Rescue vary with the conditions surrounding the use of the PWC.  Requirements from Florida would differ from those in Alaska.

WETSUIT provide an excellent value for the money. They come in various thicknesses for different water temperatures, provide maximum protection from injury, work when damaged and are easy to repair.

DRYSUIT provide the best thermal protection, ease of movement, fit different sized people, provide wind protection when out of the water, and provide hazardous material protection when working in contaminated water.

PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES U.S. Coast Guard approved Type III, Type V, or Type III/V personal flotation devices (PFDs) are recommended. These jackets provide a minimum of 15 1/2 lbs. (7 kgs) of flotation. The fit is the most important feature when selecting a PFD. Try to find a jacket that provides the most flotation while fitting you properly.

HELMETS Light, ventilated helmets with foam padding or adjustable suspension systems are the preferred types. Fire helmets or helmets with fixed brims should not be used, as these can cause serious injury.

FOOTWEAR Neoprene Booties with thick soles are an excellent choice. Tennis shoes with wool or Neoprene socks are also a good combination.

HOODS Either Neoprene hoods or some type of pile cap which insulates when it is wet can be indispensable in cold conditions.

GLOVES A combination of neoprene and leather or composition-palmed gloves provide the best blend of thermal protection and manual dexterity.

EYE PROTECTION should be worn when operating boats, personal watercraft or when working under helicopters. Types include safety glasses, goggles, face shields and swimming glasses.

RIVER KNIFE one handed and accessible. a backup knife stored in PFD pocket is recommended

WHISTLE A good whistle is necessary for communication.  It should be loud and work when wet.  The whistle should be attached to the PFD.

SWIM FINS Short, stiff bladed swim fins should be carried in the event the PWC becomes disabled or you must swim into an area to retrieve the victim.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT Consideration should also be given to additional equipment such as; strobe light, EPIRB, Marine Radio, Throw bag, etc. It all depends on where you are operating. 

Santa Cruz County crews hop on jet skis to rescue stranded homeowners

Crews in Santa Cruz County hop on jet skis to rescue stranded homeowners on the San Lorenzo River in Felton Grove.

National Guard supports joint water rescue exercise

 

SMYRNA, Tenn. – Members from the Tennessee National Guard, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Nashville Fire Department, Rutherford County's StormPoint Emergency Response team and others participated in a joint water rescue exercise April 9.

Tennessee's Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, a joint rescue crew with a Tennessee National Guard UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and aircrew with rescue personnel from the Nashville Fire Department, practiced rescuing drowning victims in Stewarts Creek.

"It's critical that we all train together," said Lt. Col. Jay Jackson, the military liaison for TEMA. "Doing this with people you've never met would be dangerous during a real world emergency, especially in hazardous conditions. That's not when we should be working together for the first time."

During the training event, the Tennessee National Guard helicopter crew lowered a Nashville Fire Department diver into the lake by hoist. The diver swam to the victims, provided aid, and readied them for rescue. Strapping the victims to the rescue strop, diver hooking themselves to the rescue cable and hoisted out of the water into the hovering helicopter. The crew simulated first aid as the survivors were airlifted to the nearest hospital.

"These exercises allow us to streamline the process and strengthen the relationships between the Tennessee National Guard and our state and local partners," said Jackson. "It is all meant to ensure that we are ready to respond to emergencies and protect our fellow citizens. Some of these maneuvers can be dangerous, especially during inclement weather, and we need to be ready."

This year's exercise included an additional element: an unmanned aerial systems team from StormPoint Emergency Response who provided a live feed of the training to the state operations center. Additionally, the team completed a mission delivering life vests to the simulated drowning victims before the HART team's arrival."Our job during this training exercise was to provide situational awareness for the water rescue exercise," said Russell Bradshaw, StormPoint Emergency Response executive director. "We were able to use the drone to locate the victims and provide coordinates and information for the inbound rescue team."

This new capability enhances the Tennessee National Guard's ability, along with local and state partners, to respond to numerous situations, including difficult-to-reach accident sites and major natural disasters, rapidly.

"This new joint capability for Tennessee not only benefits Tennesseans in the event of a disaster but will also be a deployable resource to neighboring states in the event of a disaster out of our area," said Jackson.

The HART team has already completed a successful mission. In October 2020, an injured hiker in North Carolina was successfully hoisted and transported safely to the nearest hospital.

Shared from the US Army

Rescue Watercraft for the Fire Service

 

The fire service is the epitome of adapting to the changing environment and the needs of the community. The leadership of the fire service continues to evaluate and meet the needs to our dynamic environments and response districts. The fire service of 2020 is not what the fire service of 2000 was, nor what it was in the ‘90s, ‘80s, or any previous era.

The public’s interest in the fire department goes much deeper than making sure we can handle any fire incident. We are the all-hazards agency that continues to be tasked with greater responsibility for helping those who live in or visit our communities. Many agencies have taken on more increased roles with the same or even less staffing. The term “emergency services” better defines our agencies today as we do much more the fight fires.

An area that has always received our attention is water-related emergencies. Today, we have more options to address emergencies on or in the water. The hazards in water-related rescues are vast and complicated. Swiftwater, ocean, and lake and pond environments have many different features without considering the environmental impacts.

In 2018, the Coast Guard counted 4,145 accidents that involved 633 deaths, 2,511 injuries, and approximately $46 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents. These accidents contributed to a fatality rate was of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. (1)

Open water is a term that includes natural bodies of water (lakes, rivers, oceans) and man-made bodies of water (canals, reservoirs, and retention ponds). In 2016, open water drownings made up 43 percent of fatal childhood drownings (2).

If your agency has any open water, you must take these statistics seriously, complete a needs assessment, and look for ways to prevent these incidents. Beyond prevention, you must adequately prepare for and respond equipped and trained to rescue those in need.

Read More

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

2019 SEA-DOO SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) IS READY TO RESPOND

Sea-Doo went all out with its 2019 Search and Rescue units (SAR). According to Sea-Doo, the SAR watercraft includes the specific features you need in order to respond to life threatening situations. The machines are ideal for rescue situations involving surf, whitewater rafting, floods, or use along rocky coasts. They are equipped with Sea-Doo’s Off-Throttle Assisted Steering to give the operator more maneuverability when laying off the throttle. This helps in aiding people in distress and will also assist in maneuverability in out of tight spaces. It also adds an additional steering effect to the steering mechanism. 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!

First-ever indoor swiftwater rescue training facility opens in Austin

 Located in Austin Texas, Fathom Academy is a technologically advanced water training facility designed to improve flood and swiftwater rescue response and first responder techniques. Visit us at www.fathomacademy.com for more information.

Jet Ski Rescue Hurricane Harvey Texas

Great work as always from tthe professionals at K38

Assisting the Frisco and Plano Fire Departments and Fairview Firefighters from Strike team 122 with an in progress rescue of their swifwater incident. K38 Team Leader Shawn Alladio performing a swift water rescue 9/1/2017 in the Vidor area of Orange County Texas, Thank you for the Facebook LIVE capture of this event Patrick Ingram who was a vital team member, thank you for all your support Patrick. Kawasaki USA #JetSki

Our team had just arrived on the Interstate 10 overpass direct from California when one of the firemen responsible for working the swiftwater rescue ran over to our vehicle and said he needed a Jet Ski to get this man out of the strainer. Michael Spencer immediately drove the Jet Ski trailer to the submerged section of the Interstate near the onramp and the team quickly removed the Jetski with the help of Justin Wilson from Texas. Shawn while still in her clothes, grabbed a helmet, lifejacket and a pair of work gloves and drove to the scene and brought the man out.

Incidentally over a dozen vessels ended up in the treeline of which each subsequent day the water flow increased and the strainers became more deadly. There were multiple fire departments assisting this incident, we thank them for all the work they did during this flood event. The fireman gave excellent commands and were methodical in thier approach to working with us without introduction or knowledge of our team capability. They gave us a lot of trust as an unproven asset and we thank them.

California Rescue Water Craft Training

A five day, 40-hour POST certified course designed to provide marine patrol officers with the skills and practical experience to safely operate rescue water craft in inland waters, rivers, and oceans. Participants will gain practical knowledge regarding nomenclature, pre and post operation inspections, personal protective equipment, accessories, trailering, and troubleshooting vessel operational concerns. The course will cover navigation rules, weight loads, centering, close quarter maneuvers, docking, reverse functions, towing, rescue, and safe underway procedures. Participant skills will be assessed daily throughout the on-water training modules in regards to their physical ability, decision making processes, and underway operability.

Navy SEAL Lessons Learned for Water Rescue Operations

 

It is mid-August 2016, and Louisiana is inundated with a flood of Biblical proportions.  According to press reports, the ceaseless rain has killed at least 13, and forced tens of thousands more from their homes.  More than two feet of rain has fallen over the course of five days, and forecasts show more possibly coming, which can lead to even more flash flooding.  There is basically nowhere for the water to go.

Press reports have also stated that more than 30,000 people have been rescued in the flooding, surely making it one of the country’s largest water rescue operations in history, though I have not seen the statistics to back that claim up.

As a currently-serving member of a municipal water rescue team myself, by way of my city’s paid-professional fire department, that number sounds incredible.  In this author’s head, I envision countless water rescue teams, augmented by many civilians in their own boats, spread across the state of Louisiana, picking people off of submerged cars, the roofs of submerged houses, and possibly even from half-submerged trees.

Read more; SOFREP

HIGH SURF ACCESSORIES’ RESCUE SLEDS OPEN PWC TO ALL NEW USES

 

Although 2-and-3 seater personal watercraft runabouts have been around since the late 1980s, adding a rescue sled for watercraft rescue is a fairly new concept. Because PWC are mostly used for recreational use around lakes, rivers and oceans, and manufacturers have expanded the original recreational use of PWC to include racing and towing for water sports (such as wakeboarding, wakeskating, tubing), tow rescue and tow surf by use of a tow board is something that is only a decade or two old (although big surf pioneer Randy Laine was doing it waaay earlier, but that’s a whole other story).

Through the use of a tow board, PWCs have gained additional traction with big game fishing and scuba diving/divers, in addition to dive rescue and reef exploration. Rescue sleds, such as those from High Surf Accessories (HSA), have opened up personal watercraft to a whole new world of use. In terms of swiftwater rescue, HSA states, “There is no such thing as too much power, just too much throttle. In fact, high horsepower makes navigation in a water current safer for all involved. ‘Slow is pro’ in swift water navigation especially with an attached tow board, and the ability to cautiously navigate fast currents, large waves and difficult gradients is paramount.

“The RWC’s low draft means less underwater obstruction contact and the ability to operate at lower water levels than outboard engines without decreasing performance. Obstructions become more difficult to identify during downstream navigation, and operators in the standard PWC standing position can identify obstructions easier and earlier than other watercraft. The combination of low draft and no exposed prop also allows PWC to maneuver closer to obstructions for search or rescue operations.”

 KEVIN SHAW The Watercraft Journal

5 Steps To A Safe Ice Rescue

 

Proper firefighter training, equipment, technique and awareness can reduce the dangers of ice rescues

In water rescue, there is a universally accepted rescue sequence:

1. Self rescue
2. Reach
3. Throw
4. Row
5. Go

Rescuers should be qualified and trained to perform the task they are preparing to undertake.

ANALYZE THE ICE RESCUE ENVIRONMENT

To avoid getting too in-depth about swift water environments, we'll focus on ice rescue on static or slow-moving current. I am a strong proponent of stating that a "go" rescue should never be performed on ice in which the water current is flowing greater than 1 knot without having some extraordinary conditions and precautions in place. 

This would include some very experienced and certified rescue swimmers, standby ice divers, water crafts, down-river rescuers, breach points in the ice and a very savable victim.

When we analyze this scene, we are trying to identify the victim, the victim's condition, any hazards present and the condition of the ice. If we can't locate the victim, we are looking for the hole in the ice, any tracks on the ice surface and any competent witness. 

When assessing the ice, we are primarily evaluating the path that the victim traveled before falling through. This is the most reliable path to the victim because it has already been traveled and supported their weight. All other surfaces are unknown until walked. 

If the ice is unstable and has floating and slushy segments, immediately call for an inflatable platform from which we can launch a rescue. This can be as simple as a rescue sled or swim board or as elaborate as an airboat or hovercraft.

Read More; Fire Rescue 1 by Dalan Zartman

Rescuer Gets Swept Away During Swift Water Rescue in LA

 

A rescuer was swept away in the raging waters of the Los Angeles River Friday.

Video shows others trying to get the first responder out of the rushing water as he was moving rapidly past them.

Sea-Doo - Search and Rescue (SAR) River

 

SEA-DOO SAR, SEARCH AND RESCUE: An easy choice for tough situations.

When you are on a rescue mission, every detail counts. The all-new Sea-Doo SAR, a Search and Rescue watercraft, seamlessly combines the features you need to respond to life threatening situations.

It is designed for breathtaking rescue performances, from surf to whitewater, during a flood or along a rocky coast.

The Sea-Doo SAR watercraft excels in rescue missions but is also ideal for evacuation, surveillance and interception.

The SAR watercraft truly goes the extra mile. Because when lives are hanging in the balance, every detail counts.

Using Personal Watercraft for Water Rescue

Motorized water rescue craft are as diverse as the types of environments they are used in. The old stand-by is the inflatable boat with an outboard engine, but hard-bottom boats as well as fan-driven and jet-propelled watercraft are also used. One that requires a closer look by the fire service is the jet-ski variety. Read More

Kayaker recounts dramatic Eagle River rescue

The Anchorage Fire Department Engineer Corey Roberts finishes making a cut in a sweeper as Paramedic Craig Paulus holds onto the victim during a swiftwater rescue on Eagle River on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 16, 2012. They freed the paddler who was trapped in a kayak that was pinned under a fallen tree by the rain swollen glacial fed river.

It's good to see all the training payoff for Eagle River Fire Department. SAS Water Safety taught several courses for both Eagle Rive and Anchorage FD in the 90's.

Clutching to a paddle that he had somehow jammed into debris beneath the frigid, rushing water, pinned and unable to free himself from his submerged kayak, Steve Rossberg wondered if anyone could hear the distress calls from his police whistle. After 90 minutes in the icy water, body numb, he could feel his will to survive ebbing. Then, with his head barely above water, he thought he saw someone on shore making a cell phone call. “I’ve got to hang on,” he thought. “I’ve got to hang on.”

These were some of the thoughts racing through Rossberg’s mind Sept. 16 after his kayak became lodged in a sweeper along the lower portion of Eagle River. He was experienced on Alaska’s rivers and had good equipment. But as he struggled to remain conscious and keep his focus, he was haunted by a single thought: “I underestimated the river.”

An avid outdoorsman, Rossberg was kayaking a three-mile stretch of Eagle River Sunday afternoon between the Hiland and Glenn Highway bridges. The river is tame in comparison to some of the other rivers he has run. He thought paddling the river alone would be no problem. He was wrong. This year’s high water has brought considerable debris down the river which only weeks ago was responsible for the death of two female canoeists.

At about one quarter mile from his pull out point at the Eagle River Campground, he made a critical error by paddling underneath a tree that was arching over the water. His kayak became stuck under a large log and he ended up pinned.

“There are two critical decisions that were wrong,” Rossberg says. “One was kayaking alone and two was going under that arched tree. It is good to have another person there to help with judging things — to bounce things off of. If I was with my paddle buddy, I probably would not have gone under that tree.”

He tried a number of things to free himself, including cutting himself out of the kayak with a knife, but finally resigned himself to the fact that he was not going to be able to get loose.

“I reached a point where I realized I needed to focus on the task at hand,” he says. “Conserve my energy, keep my head above water, breathe and blow my whistle.”

Initially he could see his kayak — it was about two inches under water. As time ticked on, the water pressure pulled it down and he was soon submerged up to his neck. He was in the water for 90 minutes, bracing himself with his paddle and blowing his whistle and losing strength. Then he saw something on shore. “The image is burned in my head,” Rossberg recalls. “I saw a guy in a blue coat and he was on a white phone making a call.”

A wave of hope washed over him. Maybe help was on the way.

And it was. The caller reached 911 and the dispatcher quickly contacted Eagle River’s Ladder 11, a branch of the Anchorage Fire Department. Responders immediately sprang into action, launched a boat from the campground and in minutes went upstream to the site. By the time they reached Rossberg, hypothermia had set in. They needed to get him out of the water within minutes. The rescue team had to take a chainsaw to the large tree to free him. By the time the responders pulled him out of the water it had been two hours since he had been pinned and his core body temperature had fallen to 90 degrees. He was quickly evacuated to an Anchorage hospital and has since made a full recovery.

Rossberg is a drilling manager for BP Alaska. Humbled by the experience, he recently held a town hall meeting at the company’s Anchorage office to explain the incident to employees and to properly thank the rescue team. He expressed his deep gratitude to the men, more than a dozen in all, who responded and saved his life in perilous conditions.

Following a discussion of the incident by the Ladder 11 team, one of the rescuers, Corey Roberts, said to Rossberg: “I don’t know if you knew at the time how close you were to dying, but I think you do now.”

Rossberg’s message to his co-workers was clear: “Learn from my mistakes.

“Don’t underestimate the risk. Prepare for the worst. Ask yourself do you have the right equipment, are you mentally and physically capable of surviving the worst case scenario?”

Rossberg said the rescuers’ high degree of training, their quick response, his training in the military, his remaining focused at the task at hand, having proper gear (he wore a dry suit with two layers underneath) having a bright green helmet and a two dollar whistle are what saved his life.

When asked if he will go kayaking again, he replied: “The doctor told me I’ve been sidelined for 10 days. When I do go back out, it won’t be alone.”

 Shared from the Alaska Star

Welcome To Rescue 3 International

 

Rescue 3 International was founded in 1979 after a California search and rescue team nearly lost one of its own during a water rescue. Nearly 40 years later our mission remains the same: to provide flood, water, and rope rescue training to individuals and organizations with an emphasis on ways to keep rescuers from becoming victims. As a result, Rescue 3 has risen to become the recognized leader in water and flood rescue, training over 300,000 students throughout the U.S. and 50 foreign countries. Known for our dynamic curriculum and utilizing state of the art techniques. Rescue 3 is constantly developing new and innovative rescue techniques, improving on old techniques, and working with manufacturers to develop equipment to meet rescuers’ needs.

One thing that sets us apart is our dedication to providing students with practical, real-world experience. To this end, all of Rescue 3’s instructors are professionals working in the disciplines they teach. Our instructors include paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and search and rescue team members, as well as river guides and military personnel. While Rescue 3’s instructors come from a wide variety of fields, they all share a passion for saving lives and teaching others to do the same.

SAS Water Safety has been working with and instructing Rescue 3 courses for over 30 years from Swiftwater Rescue to Low to High Angle Rescue, Aviation Aquatic Rescue and as Personal Watercraft Rescue Instructor Trainer.

Rescue 3 International is the largest accrediting body for Technical Rescue programs in the world. Rescue 3 International develops curriculum and accredits training programs across various Technical Rescue Disciplines, including water, technical rope and rigging, ice, boat, confined space, and medical.

Curriculum Development

Rescue 3 International has a worldwide cadre of industry experts who are constantly developing and refining our curriculum. All courses are reviewed by our Steering Committee, Regional Directors, and a group of industry experts to make sure we are teaching the most current and up to date courses and techniques available.

Accreditation

Rescue 3 International has a multitude of instructors and organizations teaching our program across the globe. Each Authorized Training Provider must meet a series of prerequisites, attend training, and pass a number of quality assurance checks before being granted the ability to teach our courses. Then, in order to maintain their status, each organization must meet a set of yearly criteria, which includes quality assurance reviews and instructor updates.

Becoming a Rescue 3 Training Provider is not easy, but we believe that it’s what sets us apart.