Swift Water Rescue

Question 1

Leading agency for swift water rescue

Answer 1

AFP is the lead agency for swift water rescue. However APF swift water rescue is not operational 24/7. They only do day shifts.
This means ACTF&R could be first arriving agency. With AFP up to an hour behind.

Question 2

Swift water rescue incident zoning

Answer 2

Hot zone - is in the water.
Warm zone - is within 3m of the waters edge.
Cold zone is outside the 3m line.

Question 3

Don’ts of swift water rescue

Answer 3

Don’t wear structural gear.
Don’t have unnecessary personnel in the hazard zone.
Don’t wear a helmet.

Question 4

What type of rescue can ACTF&R perform at swift water incidents

Answer 4

Only land based rescue can be executed.

No staff member can enter the water.

Question 5

Definition of swift water

Answer 5

Water travelling down a gradient in excess of 2km/h.

Question 6

What height water is enough to destabilise someone in swift water

Answer 6

30cm

Question 7

What percentage of swift water drowning are rescuers

Answer 7

33%

Question 8

Swift water terminology

Answer 8

Upstream is towards the source of the river.
Downstream is in the direction the river flows.
River left and right are taken when looking downstream.

Question 9

Water hydrology

to google later

Answer 9

Eddy.
Eddy fence.
Hole/stopper/keeper.
Strainer.

Question 10

LAST acronym for swift water rescue

Answer 10

L - locate
A - access
S - stabilise
T - Transport

Question 11

Swift water considerations

Answer 11

Never attach a line to PFD.
Keep rescue simple, as swift water is TIME CRITICAL.
Ropes will work when casualty’s are swung to safety.
Tensioned line across stream will force load downward.
Diagonal rope angle will work as casualty can move their way down.