Swiftwater In Progress Flashcards
What is the weight of a cubic foot of water?
62 LBS
Describe water
Powerful, relentless and predictable
What are the units and how do you calculate water flow rate?
Cubic feet per second = depth(ft) X width(ft) X velocity(ft/sec)
How long are you useful and how long are you conscious in 40°F water?
Useful 7.5 minutes
Conscious 30 minutes
How long are you useful and how long are you conscious in 50°F water?
Useful 15 minutes
Unconscious 60 minutes
How long are you useful and how long are you conscious in 60°F water?
Useful 30 minutes
Unconscious 120 minutes
What does tapping your helmet with one hand mean?
“Are you ok?”
“Ok”
What does one arm in the air mean?
“Help”
What does 2 hands in the air followed by pointing mean?
“Go that way”
What does one whistle blast mean?
Stop/attention
What does two whistle blasts mean?
Start/come upstream
What does three whistle blasts mean?
Start/come downstream
What do three or more long whistle blasts mean?
Help/rescue
What are the 12 best practices for swiftwater?
Keep it simple
Be proactive
Operate within your capability
Self, team, subject
PPE
use Appropriate equipment
Backup plan
Never tie around your rescuer
Never tension rope 90° to current
Don’t stand downstream of rope or in loop of rope
Don’t put feet down if swept away
Choose appropriate techniques for subject
What are the requirements for a rescue PFD?
America’s Cup Type III/V
USCG approved, nylon and minimum of 22 pounds of flotation
Side flotation panels (flotation & thermal protection)
Adjustment straps & quick release buckles
Reflective panels on shoulders, strobe, etc.
what are the benefits of a dry suit for SW rescues?
Many departments and rescuers prefer dry suits because of their design; the individual wearer does not get wet.
By themselves, they provide little thermal protection. This is fine in warmer climates and warmer water. If water temperatures are low, the individual needs to wear one or more layers of thermal underwear under the dry suit.
What is the minimum water temp to operate without thermal protection?
70°F
three additional pearls of wisdom
Once the subject is contacted, never take your eyes off of them.
Always consider flood water incidents as probable hazmat calls. Consider keeping a sample to reference/test if any illnesses or reactions.
Continually re-evaluate risk and changing environment. i.e. Night operations and increased risk to rescuer, team, and subject.
its ok to say no
Factors to consider for helo
pilot/rescuer qualifications
time of day
condition of subject
difficulty of access to subject
what is a defensive swim?
on your back, feet first, facing down stream, using your arms to guide you. Angle your body with your head pointed 45 degrees towards the desired bank
what is the Line-of-stern water crossing method?
front person uses paddle for support and others join behind to support front person
what is the Triangle-of-support or Flying-V water crossing method?
where team creates a wedge and self eddy. Subject placed inside “V” once secured
what are the ways of effecting the rescue in order of low risk to high risk?
- TALK to the subject
- REACH for the subject
- WADE to the subject if in shallow water
- THROW a rope to the subject
- ROW a boat to the subject
- GO - safe swim to the subject
- HELO
what are 4 types of AZ swiftwater rescues?
River Rescue
Flood Rescue
Canal Rescue
Still Water
What are 5 swiftwater scenarios common to AZ
vehicle swept off roadway
vehicle in a canal
person in the water
person stranded on mid-stream object or island
kayakers
What are the classes of white water
1: few ripples, few obstructions
2: easy rapids, clear channels 3: rapids w/high irreg. waves, narrow passages, poss. scouting, rescues can be difficult 4: long, difficult rapids, precise maneuvering, scouting necessary, rescues are difficult 5: long, violent rapids, scouting necessary, rescue is extremely difficult 6: experts only, swimmer w/o PFD & helmet will not survive, rescue next to impossible
What does both arms crossed over your chest mean?
I need medical help
What does spinning one hand in the air and then pointing mean?
Eddy out this way
What are hazards of swiftwater rescue?
- Low head dam/hydraulics,
- strainers
- hypothermia,
- floating debris
- foot entrapment
- Obstructions
- panicked swimmers
- Lightning/Storms
- Hazardous Materials / Biological Agents
- drowning
- Trauma
- Washed away roadway bottom
- undercut rocks
Avoid strainers, but if you can’t, what do you do?
Swim hard head first, then attack up and over the obstacle
How do you effect a shore based reach rescue?
- Lay down on the ground to avoid being pulled in
- Shout to get their attention
- Use a pole, paddle, or other long object to reach the victim
Why are low head dams some of the most difficult and dangerous situations?
They have river wide hydraulic systems that cause a backwash which is difficult to escape
How do you perform a shore based “throw” rescue?
- Choose a strategic spot
- Keep eye contact with the subject
- Yell “rope”
- Aim for the subject’s head, or slightly upriver
- Hold the loop end, but don’t put it around your wrist
- Strong underhand throw
- Yell “left hand” or “right hand” to help set up a ferry angle
- Body belay around your DOWNSTREAM hip
- Bring them into an eddy if possible
- Be ready to make a second throw
What are some things to remember regarding a “throw” rescue?
- Consider a belay line if the shore is sloping, or there is risk of the rescuer being pulled into a strong current
- If the subject does not have a PFD, they can plane under the current, so pull them in slowly
- Never count on the subject to participate in their own rescue
What is a box cinch?
It’s an easy, shore based rescue that requires four rescuers, two throw bags and two carabiners. It’s best used on a narrow fast channel.
Pg 134 of FOG for diagram
What are the steps to perform a shallow water crossing to a vehicle?
- Upstream spotters, downstream bag throwers
- Secure vehicle with a stabilization line is possible (do not follow the line, it leads to a reaction wave)
- Bring a PFD and helmet for each victim
- Keep the formation headed straight into current
- Move laterally to the rear of the vehicle, avoiding the reaction wave
- WATCH FOR VEHICLE INSTABILITY
- Move into the eddy
- Move one victim into the V of your formation
- Repeat
Pg 136 of FOG for diagram
The pace setter sits where in the boat?
Front right
When does a dynamic boat ferry, aka “kiting” work best?
It works best for short distances with a fast current when it’s not practical for a two point tether or a highline
Pg 139 FOG
When does a two point boat tether work best?
It’s a fast, effective way to maneuver a boat to a mid stream obstacle in a slow to moderate current about 150 feet wide
Pg 140 FOG
A boat on a highline with a moveable control point is used to
- Precisely position a boat in a fast current
- Provide a safe rescue platform
- Access low head dams
- Create a movable platform to catch drifting swimmers
Pg 141 to 143 of FOG for diagrams
What are the indications to use a strong tethered swimmer?
- As a downstream backup to a primary plan
- To rescue a drifting subject who is out of throw bag range, or who is unable to catch a throwbag
- Useful range is about 150 feet, or 45 meters
What are the minimum requirements to deploy a strong tethered swimmer?
- The recovery area is clear of obstructions
- Have one strong swimmer with appropriate PPE
- Have a special purpose rescue vest
- Have a pair of river rescue fins
- One 200 ft floating water rescue rope
- Four technical rescue technicians for support
- Have two to six throw bags
- A back up plan
What are the indications to use a “V” Lowering of Rescuer?
- Your subject is stuck on a strainer or their foot is entrapped
- River width is less than 100 feet and flow is less then 10 feet per second
- There is no raft available for a two point tether
What are the minimum requirements to use a “V” Lowering of rescuer?
- It must be easy to get at least two technicians to the far side
- Insertion and recovery area are clear of Hazards
- Have a type V rescue vest with a quick release for rescuer
- A rope for each side (throw bags will work)
Pg 154 of FOG
What is the Kauffman Rescue Curve?
The rescue curse states that once an incident occurs, without intervention the probability of survival or avoiding injury, damage or loss increases with time
What are the five levels of the Kauffman Rescue Curve
- Safety and Prevention
Active and passive measures you can take such as using knowledge and skill to avoid a situation (knowing your abilities), as well as things like life jackets - Self Rescue
- Rescue by Others in Your Group
- Rescue by Others Outside of Your Group
- Injury, Damage, or Loss
What is 911 Syndrome?
Focuses on the differences between experienced and inexperienced participants. Experienced people focus on safety and Prevention, and know how to self Rescue.
Inexperienced participants or “activity for a day” people don’t have the skill or knowledge to self Rescue, and tend to immediately skip the first three steps in the Rescue Curve and call 911 right away. They usually believe it is someone else’s responsibility to rescue them.
What does the Flow Model (Kaufmann) describe?
The relationship between your skill level and the challenge you face. Basically as your skill level goes up you have less anxiety when you meet greater challenges (pg 10)
What is the Adventure Experience Paradigm?
A “peak adventure” occurs when the competence matches the amount of risk involved. For example disaster can occur when the challenge outweighs your competence
What is the Roller Coaster Experience?
The leader seeks to enhance an experience by increasing perceived risk while reducing and managing actual risk at the same time.
Example: a swiftwater raft guide chooses a route that to the participants looks really technical and scary, but it’s actually pretty manageable and safe for the guide.
Kaufmann pg 12
What are the five Search and Rescue Phases?
- Search
- Rescue
- First aid
- Evacuation
- Management (ongoing throughout all the phases)
Kaufmann, pg 13
Additional considerations for a swiftwater search
In a river situation, it’s important to locate the subject as quickly as possible.
1. Pre-incident
Before an incident occurs, keep track of everyone in you group
2. Determine the Point Last Seen
This is important because it helps determine the search area
3. Last Known Position
Last place someone was known to be based on physical evidence. Often but not always the same as the PLS
- Determine the search area
Send out a hasty team - Take care if non-searchers
Make sure people are in a safe area
What are some wading techniques?
Kaufmann pg 2.1
- Solo with a paddle
- Two person
- The Four Person Huddle
- The Pyramid aka flying V
- in-line crossing
- line of stern
What is the definition of a primary current?
The general direction in which a river is flowing. It is represented by laminar flow, in which the slowest moving water is next to the river bottom and each successive layer upward moves faster. The fastest moving water is found just below the surface, because air creates friction and slows down the top layer slightly
The current in the middle of a river tends to be faster or slower than the banks?
Faster
Upstream and downstream Vs
Two rocks can create a restriction in the water where the water flows between the rocks to create a small chute. The water piles up against the rock creating an upstream V (avoid these), and the water drops off quickly between the two rocks and makes a chute. Boaters and swimmers look for this difference in height as they look for downstream Vs and avoid
upstream Vs.
Where is the current the strongest in a river bend?
Inertia forces the main current towards the outside of the bend where you’re more likely to find strainers and obstructions. Try to stay on the inside of the bend
What is the definition of an eddy?
Water flows past an obstruction creating a void behind an object that water attempts to fill.
What is an eddy wall?
The main current rushes by a rock to fast that to fill the void the water has to rush back in the opposite direction. This creates a strong current differential
When does a hole occur in a river?
A rock or other obstruction forces water to flow over it, plunges down and creates a depression or a neutral area called a boil. Kaufmann pg 4.6
What’s the difference between a “smiling” and a “frowning” hole?
Smiling: the center of the hole is further upstream than the sides, easier to maneuver
Frowning: middle of the hole is downstream of the sides. The force tends to move the swimmer to the center where it’s most powerful making it difficult to escape
Swift water Quiz
identify the features. answers are in image subtext
what is the solo wading technique?
Individual/Self crossing. Use of paddle or other aid. Avoid facing down stream
what is the two people wading technique
The second person in this technique provides stability, like using a paddle for solo crossing. In the two-person wading, the upstream
person faces downstream and the downstream person faces upstream.
what is the 4 person huddle technique
It is also called the pinwheel or crab crawl because the group tends to rotate or pinwheel as it
re-positions itself. The four-person circle can easily be done with three or five people (not shown)
what is the in-line wading technique
The in-line crossing is derived from Rescue 3 International. It is useful
for moving large numbers of inexperienced people through moving flood waters knee deep or less. It can
easily be applied to river rescue situations.
What is a ferry angle?
its the angle of your body or boat relative to the current
How long is the rope in our throw bags, whats the diameter, and what the strength?
75 feet, 7mm, 4500lbs tensile strength min
Water is…?
Powerful, Predictable, Relentless
What does LAST mean?
LAST:
Locate
Assist
Secure
Transport
If a river is traveling at 5 feet per second (3.4 mph) how many pounds of force is on your legs and body?
17 lbs on legs, 33 pounds on body.
If the river is traveling at 20 ft/sec (13.6 mph), there is 269 pounds flof force on your legs, and 538 pounds on your body
