Water Rescue: It’s Here to Stay

David Pease

Historically, North Carolina is number three for being hit by the most storms and hurricanes. We have had plenty of storms and will have plenty more in the future. Let’s look at how our water rescue program has evolved over the years to one, if not the best, in the country.

In the beginning, there were fire departments and rescue squads. The fire departments provided fire service and assisted in vehicle crashes. Rescue Squads provided EMS and rescue services. Most rescue squads had boats designed for lake recovery operations and not moving flood waters. The Rescue Squad I was part of in that very situation. We were equipped for dragging and recovery operations but not for fastmoving water. When storms hit, the departments did what they could with what they had. Back then, there were no Technical Rescue (TR) Water Rescue classes, and you were on your own. Luckily over the years, things began to change, and the need became more apparent.

Our first deployment with the REDS Team was for hurricane Fran in 1996. Our next deployment was hurricane Floyd in 1999. We were better-prepared equipment and training-wise, but still not ready for what hit us. We were one of the only water rescue teams in the state outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. After Hurricane Hugo came through Charlotte, North Carolina, the Fire Department saw a need to increase its water capabilities. We deployed three times for Floyd and afterward realized we needed more equipment and training. We added another Zodiak-type inflatable, giving us two for swift water rescue. We also added swift water PFDs, more throw ropes, and more time training. After 9/11 in 2001, federal FEMA money was being thrown out to fund USAR Teams. North Carolina got their share and put together nine United States Army Reserve (USAR) Teams. Their primary mission was structural collapse. We were part of one of those Task Force Teams, but it did not include a water rescue component. In 2004 we deployed to four hurricanes in two months. Again, the need for more teams was becoming apparent.

With nine USAR teams sanctioned by the state, they realized this was a good resource that could be added to the current swift water teams. It wasn’t long before nine more teams were added to the state system. More teams were taken into the system with changes in leadership and better money options. There are more than 30 Type I, II, & III teams in the North Carolina water response system. North Carolina Emergency Management soon expanded and hired more folks to handle the emergency responses. These folks were motivated to build the best system in the country. Teams had to meet specific equipment and personnel requirements by FEMA typing and more structured training. In addition, they were putting a better notification system and team tracking system in place. I believe it’s the best system in the country, but I am a little biased.

As the hurricane and storm season approaches, we must evaluate our capabilities to perform swift-water rescues. Of course, one major factor is your equipment. Do you have the required equipment for the task, and is it in proper working order? The next big question is, “are my rescuers properly trained to use our equipment.” Having poorly trained folks with the best equipment would be like having a million-dollar fire engine; no one knows how to flow water out of it. It could prove to be a sad and embarrassing situation. So, let’s look at some ways we may be able to prepare our department for water rescue. First, research the equipment you need for what you want to do. There is a lot of good equipment out there that can get the job done and keep you safe. Ask other departments that do water rescue and recovery and get their thoughts. Take time to look at the boats, motors, PFDs, ropes, etc. that you will need that work the best for your department.

Some departments do no water rescue or recovery operations, so they may feel no reason to worry about training in these disciplines. But considering that you may still be called to respond to a water-related emergency or recovery in your area, it does put you at the scene and involved, even if indirectly. You may be asked to assist with recovery operations and run a recovery boat when the operations tend to drag on for some time. It is also nice to be able to help to load and unload watercraft and helping to handle the equipment. This would be extremely helpful if divers responded to help with the recovery operations. You may be asked to help with running lines, moving boats, or assisting with equipment with swift water operations. My point is that even if you do not respond or perform water rescues, you should consider at least some training in this area.

Recovery operations are less intense, but good boat handling skills are essential. To be proficient at recovery operations requires skill, knowledge, and training. Most recovery operations need to be done slowly and concisely, something most folks need to work on. Another important aspect is being able to search patterns on the water more efficiently. So how do you train for this? Well, all you need is a good pond or lake to work in, something to sink to the bottom, and at least four, preferably six, marker buoys. Next, have someone sink your target object without anyone knowing where it is. They will then give the recovery team an approximate object location, and the fun begins. The team then uses four buoys to mark a square grid for searching. Once the grid is established, the next task is the slow and tedious operation of running sonar, water Human Remains Detection (HRD) dog, or dragging. This is a slow process with little glamour. It especially becomes hot and boring during the summer months. You may want to consider PFDs that are low profile and inflate with CO2. The larger ones tend to be hot during the summer months.

Training is much more intense and physically demanding for swift water and floor water operations, depending on your role. Most think that the rescue swimmer is the one who has the most skills, but the boat operator must be highly skilled, if not more so than a swimmer. When we look at swift water rescue, the challenges are more intense, and the risk is much greater. Working in or even around swift-moving water can take your life without the proper training and knowledge. Some of the best swimmers have lost their lives in swift water attempting rescues. Never underestimate the capability of moving water.

A rafting trip would be a good place to start for those involved in the boats and with the rescue operations directly. It teaches boat handling in moving water and how to read the river. These river guides spend many hours on the rivers and have a lot of knowledge that can be passed on to us as rescuers. Besides that, it’s also fun, and who said that training couldn’t be fun sometimes. Work on your paddling skills as a group, and work together in the boats if you can. Most places will allow you to use your equipment if it is rescue-rated. We have made several rafting trips for training, and we have been able to use our helmets and PFDs at most, but not all, of them.

Next, you will need to work on your motorized boat handling skills. This can be done in some rivers, but you need to be careful because it can play havoc on your boats if you are unfamiliar with the water and the rock hazards. Realistic training is preferred, but not at the expense of your equipment. Another option, one that we use, is to do your boat handling training at the coast. This allows you to work in currents and rough water in the right spots. This will allow your operators to train in waves and rough currents without damage to your watercraft. Now understand that you can still damage your equipment even at the coast. You can never get too much boat handling practice. Your crew will rely on your skills and knowledge to handle the boat in currents and deal with approaching hazards. Keep them safe.

The rescue swimmers are the following folks that need lots of training. A big cue here is that your rescue swimmers need to be able to swim well. This is not an area you need to skimp on. Not only do they need to be able to swim, but they need to be able to swim in moving water. Swimmers need to be swimming regularly if possible. Physical fitness can’t be compromised and must be maintained. Training in moving water will require that you swim in moving water. This means you will need to train in swift water environments while maintaining the required safety not to jeopardize your folks. This is the biggest challenge you will face in training your swimmers. These folks will need to also work on their victim approaches, combat swimming, defensive swimming, and offensive swimming. You need to practice basic lifeguarding skills in a more hostile environment.

Of course, no swift water training is complete without the necessary rope training and skills. This is where some non-swimmers and rescuers that don’t want to be in the boat or water to come into play. Rope training can be accomplished almost anywhere. The emphasis should be placed on high lines and traverse lines. Work on your rope skills; when ready, it will be time to move that training to a river or stream you can practice running your line across. It would be best if you worked on several different lines’ applications. You need to be able to move watercraft across the line, all the way to sending a rescuer on the line to catch and retrieve a victim, fun stuff.

A lot of training goes into a genuinely proficient water rescue team. A one-weekend class will not give you that training, nor will doing one training a year accomplish this. It would help if you also considered skill-checking your folks regularly, so you will know where their skill level is. This should become a liability concern on the department’s behalf. Having a rescuer killed while performing a swift water rescue only to find out that training was lacking would not fare well with the powers. Losing a rescuer to a lack of skills, training, and knowledge is unacceptable.

Take the time to train and become proficient at what you do. Everyone that knows me knows that I am all about training. You can never get too much. There are opportunities for water rescue training; if you have problems, call us, and we’ll be glad to help you. Stay safe and train hard.