SOP# 39: Cold Water/Ice Rescue Procedures Flashcards
Ice rescue is defined as?
any incident where members must perform a rescue of a victim or victims on a frozen or partially frozen cold water of the various lakes, ponds or any other body of water
At a cold water/ ice rescue the tactical objectives are?
- Provide for responder safety
- locate victim or where victim was last seen
- secure scene
- assemble necessary manpower and equipment
When parking vehicles for ice/water rescue priority should be given to?
Dive Trucks
Rescue Companies
ice shuttle equipment
All members working on the ice shall wear an?
ice/cold water rescue immersion suit and be tethered by floating rescue line to shore, boat or ice rescue shuttle with a min. of two (2) rescue line tenders.
What shall rescue line tenders wear?
personal floatation device (PFD)
T or F: Stearns or Mustang brand anti-exposure coveralls are cold water rescue immersion suits?
F: they are not to be used for on ice or in a water rescue operation.
- for shore or boat work and may be used in place of (PFD) and protection from weather element.
What should be used for tethering rescuers or victims?
Only floating water rescue line
Who should be on the ice?
only members directly involved
What should all members working near the ice wear?
Personal Flotation Device (PFD) or anti exposure coverall
What shall be worn when available?
Ice rescue helmets
Upon arrival companies responding to ice rescue incidents shall?
form Ice Rescue Teams
How will Ice rescue teams be assembled?
One (1) member wearing cold-water rescue immersion suit w/MARSARS ice rescue shuttle system w/ ice rescue sling or other aid and floating water rescue line and 2-shore/boat line tenders wearing personal floatation devices (PFD)
One (1) member wearing a cold-water rescue immersion suit, w/ floating water rescue line using a floating rescue item such as a rescue sling, life ring or PFD and 2 shore/boat line tenders wearing personal floatation devices (PFD)
What are first arriving company objectives?
- Size Up (nature, # of Victims , relay to FA)
- Secure witnesses (utilize police) (last location)
- Secure the scene
- attempt to rescue victim
How long should the floating water rescue line be?
550’ each = 1 rope reel
Ladder company objectives include?
Supply equipment to scene as needed/support current operations
stokes litter
Longest straight ladder
Who is responsible for victim from shoreline to rescue vehicle?
First rescue company
What is the responsibility of second rescue company?
Rescuer’s needs
What are the key words to remember for ice rescue operations?
Reach – Pole, ladder, etc
Throw – life ring, rope bag, etc.
Row – use a boat
Go – on the ice to rescue victim w/ proper equipment
Ice rescue communication may be difficult between shore and suited rescuer? what methods are there?
Preferred method direct verbal communicaiton
hand signal
- pull in (one arm held up and waving)
- Stop (one arm held up steady)
- need assistance (tapping on the water)
Breaking ice mantle prematurely?
victim may not be able to stay afloat and you risk loss of the victim
What should a suited rescuer that nears the victim do?
stop 6 or 7 feet short and ask are you alone
When should we enter the water at an Ice rescue?
Only if victim is unable to assist
In multiple victims on Ice rescue procedures, triage consideration order of rescue should be:
Victim in most danger of submerging
size and age of victims (children + elderly are most vulnerable)
Hypothermia symptoms
Time in water of victim
most viable rescue
How are drowning victims that first sink to the bottom found?
often found in a radius equal to the depth of the water
What should be requested as soon as a report of a submerged victim is received?
Dive team
For ice rescue what should be used during night time operations?
Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) + Flood lights
If victim is not visible for ice rescue what should be done?
Conduct interview + determine last seen point
Request dive team
split witnesses + interview
return witness to exact location, ask what happened
create line of sight reference point, used fix objects
if more than one (1) witness, use triangular reference to narrow point.
