Missing Swimmer

Question 1

Verbalize when to secure the witness and how to establish credibility

Answer 1

• immediately secure witness, stay with them, assign personnel, or if you trust, place them in your unit
• credible if very descriptive and close to the incident

Question 2

Discuss what the radio report should contain and what resources could be requested

Answer 2

Report:

• Location and time the swimmer went missing
• account of what happened
• how long ago the person was last seen
• name, age, gender, hair, eyes, height, weight, clothing, vehicle driven, address, phone, birthday

Resources:

• 2 area captains
• 3 LG units
• 2 baywatch boats
• 1 LR unit
• Dive 1 team
• Section chief
• PIO
• Safety officier
• PWC

Question 3

Recite when to start the hasty searches and line searches, and what equipment to use during those searches

Answer 3

• Begin hasty search immediately as personnel arrive using mask fins snorkel (no rescue can)
• When five or more personnel are available and the
  LKP is set, regroup and organize a line search.

Question 4

What are the components of the LKP and how do you set it up

Answer 4

Components:

• folding anchor,
• 5 foot chain
• 50 foot 1/4 rope
• lobster float

Setting:

• adjust rope to 1.5 times the depth
• open fluke and lock in position
• use hand signals or radio to adjust position based on witness details on shore

Question 5

What needs to happen before line search

Answer 5

• Witness info
• Hasty
• Set LKP
• regroup to start search

Question 6

Describe a line search (shallow water)

Answer 6

• 0-4 feet out
• no rescue can
• Rescuers:
  Walk side-by-side perpendicular to shore, slowly walking parallel to shore, checking for missing person with arms in defined area
• Leader:
  assures uniform search that is effective

Question 7

Describe a line search (surf zone)

Answer 7

• 4-10 feet out
• Equipment: Mask, fins, snorkel (no rescue can)
• Rescuers:
  line up perpendicular to shore. Rescuers are approximately 5’ apart (1-2 arm length). Searchers free dive to ocean floor and search in 10’-15’ increments. Line of searchers moves parallel to shore at rate of slowest searcher

-Leader:
is at deep end, or both ends and will start each dive as well as assure a uniform line before each dive

Question 8

What needs to be accomplished in the first hour of a missing swimmer incident

Answer 8

• gather relevant info from witness
• mark LKP buoy and maintain comms with person setting buoy and witness for accuracy
• clear water in search area
• clear surrounding land for IC post and staging areas
• complete free dive search
• complete underwater search
• complete air search (USCG LAC nearshore around LKP)
• complete land search (anywhere the victim may be outside of the ocean)
• maintain staged medical units
• make PWC operational

Question 9

Verbalize what should be done post search, both if victim is found and not found

Answer 9

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