Swift-water Operations

Question 1

What is the whistle command for STOP/Attention

Answer 1

1 whistle blast

Question 2

What is the whistle command for / START come upstream

Answer 2

2 whistle blasts

Question 3

What is the whistle command for START/ come downstream

Answer 3

3 short whistle blasts

Question 4

What is the whistle command for EMERGENCY or RESCUE

Answer 4

3 or more long blasts

Question 5

If a river is traveling @ 5ft/sec (3.4 Mph), how much pressure will it exert on a persons legs? body?

Answer 5

17lbs on your legs

33lbs on your body

Question 6

If a river is traveling @ 10ft/sec (6.8 Mph), how much pressure will it exert on a persons legs? body?

Answer 6

68lbs on your legs

134lbs on your body

Question 7

If a river is traveling @20ft/sec (13.6 Mph, how much pressure will it exert on a persons legs? body?

Answer 7

269lbs on your legs

538 lbson your body

Question 8

What is the formula used to determine CFS

Answer 8

average depth (D) multiplied by average
width (W) multiplied by velocity of feet per
second (V)

Question 9

What is the average weight of water

Answer 9

62lbs per Cubic ft

Question 10

water is what 3 things?

Answer 10

powerful
relentless
predictable

Question 11

when speaking of entering water with current, what is a good rule a thumb for anyone without training, or PPE

Answer 11

stay out of current that is over your knee

Question 12

Name 5 general hazards to personnel when dealing with swiftwater

Answer 12

Drowning
hypothermia
Trauma (from stationary, moving, or submerged objects)
Waterborne disease or hazmat
washed out roadways

Question 13

What is the hand signal for “OK”

Answer 13

tap your helmet with one hand

Question 14

What is the hand signal for “Are you OK”

Answer 14

tap your helmet with one hand

Question 15

What is the hand signal for “help”

Answer 15

one hand in the air

Question 16

What is the hand signal for “Go that way”

Answer 16

both hands in the air then point them in the desired direction

Question 17

list the low to high risk continuum when talking about rescue technique

Answer 17

Talk - direct subject to eddy or safer water
Reach - reach to the subject with your hand or implement
Wade - wade to patient
Throw- a rope or throwbag
Row - row a boat to subjent
Go - Safe swim to subject
Helo - extract subject with helo

Question 18

List the Swift water absolutes

Answer 18

Always wear a PFD/PPE. No one within 10 feet
of shore without a PFD

Always deploy upstream spotters above the location
– ideally on both sides of the river.

The priorities at the screw are always self-rescue

first. Rescue and security of fellow teammates
second. Subject last priority. Us, ours, them, theirs.

Always have a backup rescue plan

Always have multiple downstream backups and
throw bag options.